JUBA: Attacks and counterattacks between rebels and government forces in South Sudan have left 24 people dead, most of whom were civilians.
The UN and local officials have condemned the brutality, highlighting the dire situation in a country struggling to stabilize since its independence 13 years ago. Recently, the government delayed long-anticipated elections once again.
The incidents occurred in Central Equatoria state on Wednesday, involving a faction of the National Salvation Front (NAS) and government forces. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) expressed alarm over these “interconnected incidents,” noting that 24 people were killed, including 19 civilians.
“I am deeply concerned by these brutal acts and urgently call on the government of South Sudan to conduct an immediate investigation to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice,” stated UNMISS head Nicholas Haysom.
Central Equatoria’s peace minister, Gerald Francis, reported that 19 people died in two separate attacks. He described the violence as a “horrific massacre,” with armed individuals targeting youth, shooting them, and attacking others with machetes.
The NAS has not laid down its arms after failing to sign a 2018 peace agreement aimed at ending a brutal five-year civil war, during which around 400,000 people lost their lives. The agreement sought to unite President Salva Kiir and his rival Vice President Riek Machar, but efforts to draft a constitution and hold the country’s first elections have faced repeated delays.
South Sudan remains fragile, struggling to recover from the conflict that displaced millions, while contending with ongoing political instability, ethnic violence, climate disasters, and corruption. Despite its vast oil resources, it is one of the poorest countries in the world.
The economy recently suffered further setbacks when a key pipeline in neighboring Sudan ruptured in February, causing the local currency to plummet and prices for essential goods to soar.
