South Sudan is on the brink of renewed civil war as violence escalates among rival factions, the United Nations has warned.
On March 24, 2025, Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), described the situation in the country as “dire,” pointing to growing tensions between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those allied with Vice President Riek Machar. He emphasized that efforts to negotiate a peace deal depend on both leaders prioritizing their people’s interests above personal ambitions. The ongoing disinformation and hate speech, he noted, are intensifying ethnic divisions and provoking violent clashes, leading to the displacement of tens of thousands.
After gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan descended into a brutal civil war just two years later, as Kiir’s Dinka forces battled against Machar’s Nuer supporters. The conflict claimed over 40,000 lives before the signing of a peace agreement in 2018, which established a government of national unity. However, signs of renewed strife have emerged lately, raising fears of another catastrophic war.
In early March 2025, the White Army—a militia faction believed to support Machar—stormed a military base in Nasir County, located in Upper Nile state. The South Sudanese military retaliated by surrounding Machar’s residence in the capital, Juba, detaining several of his allies. Notably, a South Sudanese general lost his life when a UN helicopter, tasked with evacuating government troops from Nasir, came under fire.
The violence has now displaced an estimated 63,000 people across the affected regions, with UNMISS officials condemning the government’s aerial strikes on civilian communities. “These indiscriminate attacks on civilians are causing significant casualties and horrific injuries, especially burns,” reported Haysom.
The deteriorating political landscape includes postponed elections, initially slated for February 2023 but now delayed twice, with the next expected in 2026. Haysom pointed to the lack of trust between Kiir and Machar as a significant barrier to the peace process, stating, “Given this grim situation, we are left with no other conclusion but to assess that South Sudan is teetering on the edge of a relapse into civil war.”
The UN peacekeeping mission is actively working to prevent further violence through “intense shuttle diplomacy” with regional entities, including the African Union. Haysom declared that the collective message to both leaders is to engage in dialogue and uphold the 2018 peace agreement, adhere to the ceasefire, release detained personnel, and resolve conflicts through conversation rather than force.
As the situation continues to unfold, international and regional actors remain vigilant, hoping to avert a catastrophe that could result in a humanitarian disaster reminiscent of the past conflicts in South Sudan. The UN remains committed to supporting peace initiatives in the beleaguered nation, stressing the importance of trust and cooperation between Kiir and Machar for any future stability.
Without decisive action, the risk of a full-scale civil war looms, threatening to revert South Sudan to its darkest days of brutality and loss. The international community watches with bated breath as the leadership of South Sudan faces its most critical challenge yet.
