The U.S. has ordered nonemergency staff to leave South Sudan as tensions rise due to ongoing violence in the north. Clashes have led to arrests linked to Vice President Riek Machar, threatening the peace deal signed in 2018. The U.N. highlights that recent violence jeopardizes the hard-won progress in the nation.
The U.S. State Department has ordered nonemergency government personnel to evacuate South Sudan’s capital amid rising tensions due to ongoing fighting in the northern region. A recent travel advisory highlighted that the conflict is intensifying, with weapons easily accessible to the general populace.
Recent clashes between an armed group and the national army resulted in the detention of two government ministers and a deputy army chief aligned with Vice President Riek Machar, a former rebel leader. This escalation has raised alarms as Machar’s residence was surrounded by army forces, prompting claims from his supporters that these arrests jeopardize the fragile peace agreement.
South Sudan experienced a devastating civil war from 2013 to 2018, claiming over 400,000 lives. A peace deal was signed in 2018 between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Machar, which is still being implemented.
The security situation further deteriorated when a U.N. helicopter was attacked during an evacuation mission in the north, an incident labeled a potential war crime by the U.N. On Saturday, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights remarked that the violence threatens to undermine the existing peace agreement.
Yasmin Sooka, chairperson of the U.N. Commission, stated, “We are witnessing an alarming regression that could erase years of hard-won progress. Rather than fueling division and conflict, leaders must urgently refocus on the peace process.”
The U.S. State Department’s evacuation order for nonemergency personnel highlights escalating violence in South Sudan. The recent conflict, marked by the arrest of key leaders, raises concerns about the stability of the 2018 peace agreement. The U.N.’s condemnation of the recent attack reflects broader fears of a return to civil war, necessitating urgent action from South Sudan’s leaders to refocus on peace and human rights.
Original Source: apnews.com
