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UN raises alarm over military leader's violent rhetoric
The United Nations has condemned statements by a senior South Sudanese military commander urging troops to target civilians, including children and the elderly, in opposition-held areas. The UN Mission in South Sudan (Unmiss) called the remarks "utterly abhorrent" and demanded an immediate halt to inflammatory language.
General's speech sparks outrage
Deputy army chief Gen. Johnson Oluny addressed Agwelek militia forces ahead of their deployment to Jonglei state, where opposition groups loyal to suspended Vice-President Riek Machar have gained ground in recent weeks. In a video circulated on Facebook, Oluny instructed troops to "spare no-one-neither the elderly, children, nor birds-and leave no house standing."
Evacuation orders issued for civilians and aid workers
The military has directed all civilians, UN personnel, and humanitarian staff to vacate three counties in Jonglei-Nyirol, Uror, and Akobo-within 48 hours, citing an imminent operation against opposition forces. Despite the order, Unmiss confirmed its peacekeepers remain in Akobo to "de-escalate tensions," though it did not clarify whether staff were still present in the other counties.
UN warns of mass violence risk
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (UNCHRSS) described the situation as "profoundly dangerous," noting that over 180,000 people have already fled their homes due to escalating clashes. Witnesses in Jonglei reported civilians hiding in swamps to escape the violence.
"No senior political or military leader in Juba can claim ignorance of these blatant incitements to commit serious crimes," UNCHRSS stated in a Geneva release. "Language calling for the killing of civilians and those no longer participating in hostilities is shocking and must cease immediately."
UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan
Conflict escalates amid failed peace deal
Tensions have surged since opposition forces threatened to advance on the capital, Juba, last week. The crisis stems from the collapse of a 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war, which killed nearly 400,000 people. The accord, meant to establish a power-sharing government between President Salva Kiir and Machar, has unraveled amid ethnic divisions and political infighting.
Machar, a former vice-president and Kiir's longtime rival, was arrested in March and faces charges of murder, treason, and crimes against humanity, which he denies. The conflict has deepened ethnic rifts, particularly between Kiir's Dinka community and Machar's Nuer supporters.
UN experts fear civilian catastrophe
Independent UN analysts warned the current standoff heightens the risk of large-scale violence against civilians. With both sides mobilizing forces and rhetoric intensifying, the fragile stability of the world's youngest nation hangs in the balance.
