The United Nations has issued a stark warning that South Sudan may be slipping back into civil war after reports emerged of barrel bomb attacks on civilians in Upper Nile State, a region already ravaged by conflict.
According to Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), aerial strikes using devices suspected to contain highly flammable liquids have caused “significant casualties and horrific burns” in areas held by the White Army, a militia historically aligned with Vice-President Riek Machar.
“A renewed conflict would erase all the hard-won gains since the 2018 peace deal,” Haysom warned. “It would devastate not just South Sudan but the broader region.”
Brutal Clashes Spark Humanitarian Crisis
The violence erupted after the White Army overran a military base in Nasir, a town in the oil-rich Upper Nile State. In response, government forces launched airstrikes, which locals say involved chemical weapons.
Local commissioner James Gatluak Lew told the BBC that “chemical bombardments” had occurred. Reports suggest ethyl acetate, a volatile chemical compound, was found at some of the bombing sites.
Eyewitnesses and rights groups report dozens of burn injuries, and 63,000 civilians have been displaced by the ongoing conflict.
Despite international outcry, President Salva Kiir’s government has yet to address the allegations publicly, though a spokesperson claimed all strikes targeted “White Army positions” only.
Peace Deal Under Threat
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but spiraled into civil war two years later. The 2018 peace agreement between Kiir and Machar halted the bloodshed, but tensions have been rising.
Earlier this month, several of Machar’s top allies were arrested, which his supporters denounced as a violation of the peace accord. The arrests and renewed violence have cast doubt on the nation’s fragile political balance ahead of upcoming elections.
Uganda Accused of Airstrikes
In a dramatic escalation, Machar accused Uganda of violating a UN arms embargo and participating in aerial attacks against civilians in Upper Nile and Jonglei States.
Uganda previously claimed it had deployed troops at Kiir’s request, but the South Sudanese government has denied this.
In a letter to the UN, African Union, and IGAD, Machar stated:
“Ugandan forces are currently taking part in air strikes against civilians,” further complicating the region’s already fragile stability.
UN Response and Diplomatic Push
UNMISS, which oversees 18,000 peacekeepers, has launched intensive shuttle diplomacy to de-escalate the situation. However, concerns are growing that the country is once again teetering on the edge of full-scale war.
With elections expected next year, Haysom warned that disinformation, hate speech, and ethnic divisions were intensifying tensions at a dangerous rate.
