An East African regional bloc has warned that escalating clashes in South Sudan are pushing the country dangerously close to war, raising concerns over the fragile peace deal that ended a five-year civil war in 2018.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) issued a warning on Wednesday, highlighting that the recent violence between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar signals a growing threat to stability.
Tensions have soared in the past few weeks, especially after a United Nations helicopter was attacked while attempting to evacuate soldiers from the northeast. The incident resulted in the deaths of a UN crew member and a South Sudanese general.
Despite Kiir’s assurances that the country will not return to war, IGAD noted that a March 4 attack in Nasir—where an estimated 6,000 armed members of the White Army overran a military base—demonstrates the increasing volatility. The White Army is an ethnic Nuer militia group aligned with Machar.
The regional bloc warned that South Sudan is “balanced precariously between the promise of peace and the peril of conflict,” urging all parties to de-escalate hostilities.
The South Sudanese government downplayed the concerns, with the foreign ministry stating on Wednesday that the situation remains calm and secure and that the country is “open and safe for visitors, investors, and development partners.”
However, the United States has taken precautionary measures, ordering non-emergency staff to leave the country due to “ongoing armed conflict.” Uganda has also deployed special forces to the South Sudanese capital, Juba, though South Sudanese officials have denied their presence.
With fears of a return to widespread violence looming, regional and international actors continue to monitor the situation closely.
