Intense clashes between government forces and rebel factions have rocked Jonglei State in recent days, marking the largest-scale combat since the signing of the nation’s 2018 peace agreement, according to the United Nations. Despite the violence, the South Sudanese government is publicly insisting the country is not at war.
The fighting, which erupted in late December in areas north of the capital, Juba, pits troops loyal to President Salva Kiir against forces aligned with his long-time rival, former Vice President Riek Machar. Machar was ousted from the power-sharing government and is currently on trial for crimes against humanity.
In a statement addressing the conflict, a spokesperson for the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), Machar’s faction, claimed its forces were advancing toward Juba. The assertion prompted a sharp response from the government.
“We are not at war,” a government military spokesperson stated. “The SPLM/A-IO spokesperson said they are advancing toward Juba. We are only stopping the advance… because we also have the right of self-defense. Therefore, in the process of practicing the right of self-defense, you will see us fighting to make sure that we stop the advancement. But the country is not in war.”
The government followed by calling on the SPLM/A-IO “to immediately cease hostilities and strictly adhere to both the letter and spirit of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.” It warned that “any action that undermines the agreement poses a serious threat to peace and jeopardizes the ongoing transitional process.”
The resurgence of violence has caused significant civilian displacement and raised international alarm. A spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern, stating the UN mission in South Sudan fears the clashes “could put hundreds of thousands of civilians at risk.”
The conflict between Kiir and Machar fueled a devastating civil war from 2013 to 2018, which the peace agreement was designed to end. The current fighting in Jonglei State threatens to unravel that fragile peace and reignite widespread conflict.
