South Sudan

UN experts today warned that South Sudan is turning into a catastrophic human rights and humanitarian crisis, urging immediate steps to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access, and enable internally displaced persons to return safely and with dignity.

[…] In a joint statement, the embassies of Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States said they were “deeply concerned” by the impact of recent military operations in Akobo, which they said forced humanitarian agencies to withdraw alongside large numbers of civilians.

At least 74 mine workers have been killed by gunmen in an area south-west of the capital, Juba, with government and opposition officials trading accusations over who was behind the deaths. The violence occurred over the weekend in mineral-rich Jebel Iraq, which is controlled by the army.

With the window for holding meaningful elections fast closing, can the three initiatives underway deliver more than previous efforts?

[…] The distinguished lawyer and diplomat from South Africa was appointed in January 2021 and had a long international career with a focus on democratic governance, constitutional and electoral reforms, reconciliation and supporting peace processes.

South Sudan’s army said Wednesday it had taken control of the strategic town of Akobo from opposition forces, marking what it described as the loss of the last major stronghold of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) in the Lou Nuer areas of Jonglei State.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said on Tuesday he was horrified by growing accounts of serious violations during the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, including gruesome killings of civilians, the destruction and poisoning of key water sources, and fresh waves of mass displacement. … More than 280,000 people have been displaced in South Sudan since late December - in Jonglei, Lakes and Upper Nile States.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) continues to engage intensively with national, state and local stakeholders following the 6 March announcement by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) instructing civilians in Akobo town and surrounding villages to relocate ahead of planned military operations. The same report directed UN peacekeepers and humanitarian partners to leave Akobo within 72 hours.

Uganda helped South Sudan carry out airstrikes that killed and badly burned civilians a year ago, according to a UN inquiry. 

The number of people killed in an attack in South Sudan on Sunday when a group of unidentified men launched an assault in the north of the country has risen to 178, a local official has told the BBC.