UN experts warn of mass violence against civilians in South Sudan

JUBA - Independent United Nations experts warned on Sunday that the rapidly deteriorating security situation in South Sudan is dramatically heightening "the risk of mass violence against civilians" as fresh waves of armed conflict grip parts of the country.

The alert, delivered by members of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan - an independent body mandated by the Human Rights Council - comes amid renewed fighting concentrated in Jonglei state and reports of inflammatory rhetoric from military commanders that appears to encourage or authorize indiscriminate attacks on perceived opponents, including civilian communities.

In a press release, the Commission expressed grave concern over recent clashes that have already displaced tens of thousands of people, with many fleeing into swamps and inaccessible rural areas to escape the violence. Humanitarian agencies, including the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), have reported that over 180,000 individuals have been uprooted in recent weeks due to the escalating hostilities. Civilian casualties are mounting, with accounts of killings, injuries, abductions, and widespread destruction of homes, livestock, and infrastructure.

Particularly alarming to the experts are public statements and orders issued by senior military figures that call for troops to "crush" opposition forces within short deadlines or use language that risks inciting ethnic-based mobilization and indiscriminate force. 

Such rhetoric, combined with failures in command responsibility and accountability, the Commission warned, mirrors patterns that have historically preceded large-scale atrocities in South Sudan - including targeted killings, sexual violence, and forced displacement along ethnic lines.

South Sudan remains mired in fragility more than seven years after the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan. While a transitional government exists, implementation has been uneven, and localized violence - often between communities over cattle, grazing land, and political influence - has continued unabated. 

Armed youth militias, splinter factions, and elements within the national security forces operate with limited restraint, exacerbating inter-communal tensions in a country still recovering from a devastating civil war that killed hundreds of thousands between 2013 and 2018.

The experts urged all parties - government forces, opposition groups, and community leaders - to immediately cease hostilities, halt incitement, and prioritize de-escalation. They called for strengthened civilian protection measures by UNMISS peacekeepers, robust accountability mechanisms for those responsible for abuses, and urgent political engagement to salvage the fragile peace process.

"The actions in Jonglei could put the country into another dangerous spiral of violence," the Commission stated. "Without urgent de-escalation and renewed political engagement, another tragic and brutal cycle of war will be inflicted upon the long-suffering people of South Sudan."

The warning arrives against a backdrop of severe humanitarian strain: millions already face acute food insecurity, disease outbreaks, and flooding, while the spillover from neighboring Sudan's ongoing civil war has added pressure through refugee inflows and disrupted trade routes. Aid organizations warn that any escalation to mass violence would overwhelm already limited humanitarian access and capacity.

International partners, including the United States, European Union countries, and regional bodies such as the African Union and IGAD, have been repeatedly pressed to intensify diplomatic efforts, enforce arms restrictions where possible, and support inclusive dialogue to address underlying grievances before the situation spirals further.