By Kei Emmanuel Duku
A “grave erosion” of South Sudan’s fragile peace process is on the verge of pushing the world youngest nation toward a brutal cycle of war, as the United Nations warns that deliberate political sabotage is currently fueling a catastrophic humanitarian disaster in Jonglei State.
The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan issued an urgent alert, condemning a surge in “indiscriminate” aerial bombardments and ground offensives that have targeted civilian-populated areas.
The Commission characterized this escalation as a “near-total disregard” for the safety of citizens, signaling that the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) is being systematically dismantled.
The fallout has been immediate and devastating for the most vulnerable populations. Since late December 2025, more than 100,000 people—predominantly women, girls, older persons, and persons with disabilities—have been forcibly displaced across Jonglei State, many fleeing without shelter, food, or access to medical care.
The Commission identified the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) as responsible for repeated airstrikes in Uror, Ayod, and Nyirol counties.
These strikes, alongside clashes with the SPLM/A-IO and the reported mobilization of armed civilian militias, represent what the UN calls a “blatant disregard” for the protection afforded to civilians under international law.
“The protection of civilians is not optional—it is a binding legal obligation of the government,” declared Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission. “The renewed airstrikes in civilian areas, combined with restrictions on humanitarian access… are again placing lives at immediate risk, while systematically eroding the peace agreement and condemning civilians to fear, displacement and death”.
The Commission warned that the violence in Jonglei is not a contained incident but a symptom of a broader political failure manifesting across the country. Commissioner Barney Afako noted that the “deliberate unravelling” of the peace agreement is dragging the nation back into a dangerous spiral.
“As usual, South Sudanese civilians are paying the heaviest price for the political miscalculations of their leaders,” Afako 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 UN has raised the stakes by warning that the deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid and the targeting of healthcare facilities may amount to serious violations of international law.
In Jonglei, medical facilities have been forced to suspend operations or evacuate staff, leaving critically ill patients stranded without lifesaving care.
Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández emphasized that if acts such as denying access to medical care or carrying out airstrikes in civilian areas are committed “deliberately or recklessly,” they may amount to war crimes. “Continued obstruction of humanitarian access and attacks harming civilians must cease immediately, and those responsible must be held to account,” he added.
To prevent a total collapse, the Commission is demanding an immediate political de-escalation and a return to the full implementation of the Revitalized Peace Agreement.
The Commission further calls for an immediate halt to all airstrikes and military operations in civilian areas, the provision of unconditional and unimpeded humanitarian access, and intensified diplomatic engagement from regional and international partners to ensure a return to an inclusive transition.