Violence Escalates in South Sudan as Government and Opposition Forces Clash

Violence has escalated in South Sudan as government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir clash with opposition groups believed to be allied to former Vice-President Riek Machar. At least 169 people were killed in a recent attack on a village, including civilians and members of the security forces. The UN is sheltering over 1,000 civilians and providing medical care to the injured.

The latest bout of violence occurred on Sunday when armed youth from Mayom county in the north raided a village in neighboring Abiemnom county near the Sudan border. The victims included women, children, and members of government security forces, according to James Monyluak Majok, the information minister for Ruweng Administrative Area.

The UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said it was sheltering more than 1,000 civilians in its base in the area and providing medical care to those injured. It reported that about 23 people were wounded in the attack.

Stephano Wieu de Mialek, the chief administrator of Ruweng, alleged that the assault was carried out by people linked to the White Army militia, a group allied with Machar during the civil war. The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), affiliated with Machar, denied responsibility for the attack and asserted it had no military presence in the area.

The conflict escalated in December when opposition forces seized government outposts in Jonglei state, an opposition stronghold. The UN estimates that 280,000 people have been displaced since then due to renewed fighting. Aid groups have warned that access restrictions to opposition-held parts of the state are endangering civilian lives.

The government has conducted a counteroffensive since January with aerial bombardments and ground assaults, despite an official commitment to the peace agreement signed in 2018. The U.S. is urging talks between Kiir and Machar to prevent a return to full-blown civil war.