The U.S. has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency staff from South Sudan amid rising tensions and violence affecting a fragile power-sharing agreement between Kiir and Machar. The UN warns of an alarming regression towards war and potential ethnic massacres if the situation is not contained.
The U.S. government has mandated the evacuation of non-emergency staff from South Sudan due to escalating tensions, as reported by the State Department on Sunday. This decision stems from clashes affecting a tenuous power-sharing arrangement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, primarily in the northeastern Upper Nile State.
Recent violent incidents, including an attack on a UN helicopter during a rescue mission that resulted in casualties, have raised concerns. As stated by the State Department, the order for departure was initiated on March 8, 2025, to mitigate risks posed by ongoing armed conflicts involving several political and ethnic factions with widespread access to weapons.
Although President Kiir has called for calm and assured citizens of no potential return to civil war, international entities remain apprehensive. Observers have highlighted a troubling retreat from stability, with the UN human rights commission expressing fears of reversing the progress made since the conclusion of a five-year civil war in 2018.
The International Crisis Group emphasized that South Sudan is on a dangerous trajectory towards widespread war. It specifically warned of the possibility of large-scale ethnic violence if the current situation is not promptly addressed. The tensions are exacerbated by accusations against Machar’s forces in collusion with various armed groups, deepening the ethnic divisions within the country.
The evacuation of non-emergency U.S. staff from South Sudan underscores the growing instability in the region, marked by violent clashes threatening a fragile peace agreement. Despite calls for calm from President Kiir, the risk of escalating armed conflict and ethnic violence looms large, necessitating urgent attention from international observers and mediators to avert further deterioration.
Original Source: www.arabnews.com
