The United Nations expresses grave concern over the use of barrel bombs in South Sudan, highlighting recent violent clashes between government forces and the White Army militia. UN officials warn that further conflict could jeopardize peace agreements made in 2018 and lead to a humanitarian crisis.
UN Raises Alarm Over Escalating Violence and Barrel Bombs in South Sudan
UN Raises Alarm Over Escalating Violence and Barrel Bombs in South Sudan
Tensions rise as the UN warns of potential civil war amid alarming use of barrel bombs in South Sudan's Upper Nile State.
Article text:
The United Nations has sounded an alarm regarding escalating violence in South Sudan, as barrel bombs containing highly flammable substances have reportedly been deployed in airstrikes, pushing the nation closer to another civil conflict. This warning comes from Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN mission in South Sudan, amidst a backdrop of recent skirmishes between the military and the militia known as the White Army in the northern town of Nasir, situated in the mineral-rich Upper Nile State.
The military base invasion by the White Army has triggered continuous aerial bombardment, resulting in "significant casualties and horrific burns," according to Haysom. He cautioned that a renewed conflict could undo progress made since the pivotal peace agreement of 2018, which aimed to end a five-year civil war that claimed nearly 400,000 lives and would have disastrous effects not just on South Sudan, but on the entire surrounding region.
The government has not responded to the allegations surrounding barrel bomb use. President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar's relationship has soured since their August 2018 peace agreement, marked by ethnic friction and intermittent violence. The recent detention of senior allies of Machar has been labeled a "grave violation" of the peace accord and further complicated their relationship.
Haysom explained that the armed forces have resorted to indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, using barrel bombs that allegedly contain a potent chemical accelerant. Local reports from leaders in Upper Nile mirrored these claims, indicating that state forces have engaged in "chemical bombardments." Eyewitness accounts detail harm caused by these unconventional weapons, as civilians suffer serious injuries and burn traumas.
While a government spokesman confirmed military operations targeting the White Army in Upper Nile, he claimed there was no civilian harm. However, Haysom countered that innocent civilians, including women and children, have been critically affected, with about 63,000 people reportedly displaced from their homes due to the violence.
As tensions mount ahead of anticipated elections next year, misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric exacerbate ethnic divides. The UN mission, boasting around 18,000 peacekeepers, is ramping up efforts to prevent the nation from sliding into renewed civil strife.
In a further escalation of the situation, Machar has accused Uganda of breaching a UN arms embargo by conducting airstrikes within South Sudan's borders. In a letter addressed to various international bodies, he alleged that Ugandan forces were engaging in attacks on civilian populations in several counties, raising additional concerns regarding the stability of the region. Uganda has acknowledged troop deployment within South Sudan but asserts that Juba had requested their presence, a claim the South Sudan government denies.
The United Nations has sounded an alarm regarding escalating violence in South Sudan, as barrel bombs containing highly flammable substances have reportedly been deployed in airstrikes, pushing the nation closer to another civil conflict. This warning comes from Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN mission in South Sudan, amidst a backdrop of recent skirmishes between the military and the militia known as the White Army in the northern town of Nasir, situated in the mineral-rich Upper Nile State.
The military base invasion by the White Army has triggered continuous aerial bombardment, resulting in "significant casualties and horrific burns," according to Haysom. He cautioned that a renewed conflict could undo progress made since the pivotal peace agreement of 2018, which aimed to end a five-year civil war that claimed nearly 400,000 lives and would have disastrous effects not just on South Sudan, but on the entire surrounding region.
The government has not responded to the allegations surrounding barrel bomb use. President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar's relationship has soured since their August 2018 peace agreement, marked by ethnic friction and intermittent violence. The recent detention of senior allies of Machar has been labeled a "grave violation" of the peace accord and further complicated their relationship.
Haysom explained that the armed forces have resorted to indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, using barrel bombs that allegedly contain a potent chemical accelerant. Local reports from leaders in Upper Nile mirrored these claims, indicating that state forces have engaged in "chemical bombardments." Eyewitness accounts detail harm caused by these unconventional weapons, as civilians suffer serious injuries and burn traumas.
While a government spokesman confirmed military operations targeting the White Army in Upper Nile, he claimed there was no civilian harm. However, Haysom countered that innocent civilians, including women and children, have been critically affected, with about 63,000 people reportedly displaced from their homes due to the violence.
As tensions mount ahead of anticipated elections next year, misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric exacerbate ethnic divides. The UN mission, boasting around 18,000 peacekeepers, is ramping up efforts to prevent the nation from sliding into renewed civil strife.
In a further escalation of the situation, Machar has accused Uganda of breaching a UN arms embargo by conducting airstrikes within South Sudan's borders. In a letter addressed to various international bodies, he alleged that Ugandan forces were engaging in attacks on civilian populations in several counties, raising additional concerns regarding the stability of the region. Uganda has acknowledged troop deployment within South Sudan but asserts that Juba had requested their presence, a claim the South Sudan government denies.
