South Sudan has initiated air strikes against rebels amidst increasing conflict in Nasir County, threatening the 2018 peace agreement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar. Casualties have been reported, including children, and accusations of unrest collaboration with the White Army have emerged. Ugandan forces are also involved, raising international concern over the country’s stability and human rights progress.
South Sudan has conducted air strikes against rebel forces amid escalating clashes in Nasir County, Upper Nile State. These altercations involve troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, thereby jeopardizing their fragile peace-sharing agreement initiated in 2018. According to Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth, the air force targeted Nasir in an attempt to maintain security amidst ongoing violence.
A local county commissioner reported that these air strikes resulted in over 20 casualties, including children. Lueth characterized the attacks as part of necessary security operations, remarking that civilian casualties, unfortunately, may occur: “If you as a civilian happen to be there… then there is nothing we can do.” The ongoing conflict threatens to unravel the peace agreement that followed a devastating five-year civil war claiming approximately 400,000 lives.
President Kiir’s allies have accused Machar’s forces of collaborating with the White Army, an informal militia group composed of young individuals from the Nuer ethnic community. Tensions escalated earlier this month following an assault by around 6,000 White Army fighters on a military base in Nasir. An unfortunate rescue operation carried out by the United Nations culminated in the death of a UN helicopter pilot along with a senior South Sudanese general.
Furthermore, Lueth acknowledged the presence of Ugandan forces in Juba as part of a military pact, contrary to previous denials regarding their deployment. Ugandan army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba confirmed the arrival of special forces in Juba aimed at securing the capital. The rising unrest in South Sudan has incited international alarm, with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights warning of a troubling regression that jeopardizes years of development.
In summary, the South Sudanese government has escalated its military actions against rebels, endangering a fragile peace agreement. Casualties have been reported, including civilians, emphasizing the dire situation. The involvement of external forces and the resurgence of armed groups raise significant concerns regarding stability and human rights in the region. International observers are closely monitoring the developments, given the potential implications for progress made since the civil war.
Original Source: www.citizen.digital
