The United Nations has warned that South Sudan is at risk of falling back into civil war following continued fighting between government forces and the Nuer White Army Militia. The South Sudanese government has been accused of dropping barrel bombs filled with flammable liquid, causing severe burns and civilian deaths. At least 63,000 people have fled the violence.
The attacks come after peace efforts collapsed. In a recent UN Security Council briefing, Nicholas Haysom, the UN’s top official in South Sudan, described the situation as “dire” and criticized the government for abruptly halting peace talks.
“South Sudan is teetering on the edge of a relapse into civil war.” – @unmissmedia chief Nicholas Haysom warned the @UN Security Council today as he briefed on the grim situation in #SouthSudan 🇸🇸. pic.twitter.com/6sFv3vdvMp
— UN Peacekeeping (@UNPeacekeeping) March 24, 2025
He urged President Salva Kiir and his rival turned Vice President Riek Machar to prioritize their country’s future. “A conflict would erase all the hard-won gains made since the 2018 peace deal was signed,” Haysom said. “It would devastate not only South Sudan but the entire region, which simply cannot afford another war.”
South Sudan, an oil-rich nation, gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after a brutal conflict that claimed over 400,000 lives. The war ended with the 2018 peace agreement, which created a government of national unity between Kiir and Machar. According to the agreement, elections were set for February 2023 but were postponed first to December 2024 and then again to 2026.
Recent fighting has centered in Upper Nile State, where the White Army militia overran a military base in the town of Nasir on March 4. Haysom said since the White Army overran the base, there had been persistent aerial bombardment causing “significant casualties and horrific burns.”
Meanwhile, the South Sudanese government did not address the barrel bomb allegations but denied targeting civilians. A spokesman stated that airstrikes were aimed solely at militia positions. However, local media reported that ethyl acetate, a flammable compound, was found at the scene.
The White Army fought alongside Machar during the 2013-2018 civil war, but Machar denied any link to the current attacks.
The UN’s report follows the Sudanese Armed Forces’ recapture of several key buildings in Khartoum on Friday, including the presidential palace, from the rebel Rapid Support Forces.
