Fears that South Sudan – the world’s youngest nation – could plunge into a full-blown civil war have intensified as fighting continues in Jonglei state, north-east of the capital, Juba. Government forces are trying to retake territory from those loyal to First Vice-President Riek Machar, who has been suspended from his post after being accused of plotting to overthrow President Salva Kiir. Machar is currently on trial in Juba, on charges of murder, treason and crimes against humanity, which he denies.
His party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army In Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), has denounced the charges as a “political witch-hunt”, and a move to “dismantle” a 2018 peace accord that ended a five-year civil war. The SPLM/A-IO and allied groups have said they have been capturing territory, including military bases, in Jonglei and other states since the end of last year. South Sudan’s army responded with a counter offensive launched last month.
In a controversial statement, deputy army chief Gen Johnson Oluny urged his troops to “spare no-one” including “children, the elderly, and civilians” when they were deployed to Jonglei. The government has clarified that this was not an order, saying it is committed to protecting civilians. The recent fighting in Jonglei has forced at least 280,000 people to flee their homes. Facilities run by aid agencies, including clinics, have been looted and staff beaten up, according to the charity Oxfam.
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