Latest news with #Machar-allied
Al Arabiya
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
South Sudan opposition decries strike as US warns of rise in violence
The South Sudan opposition said one of its army bases near the capital Juba was bombarded late Monday as Washington warned it was 'deeply concerned' by escalating violence between the rival factions. Clashes between forces allied to President Salva Kiir and his long-time rival, First Vice President Riek Machar, have left their 2018 power-sharing agreement increasingly fragile and threaten to plunge the country back into civil war. Late Monday, Machar's party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, said its military cantonment at Wunaliet, around 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the capital Juba, was attacked. 'This provocative action is a violation of the (2018 peace agreement),' said a spokesperson in a statement. Earlier in the day, a spokesman for the Kiir-aligned army, Lul Ruai Koang, warned that Machar's forces in the area were 'scaling up their movements' and had sent out a patrol towards army positions 'clearly in military formation.' The army was yet to confirm the later strikes, but local media reported that it consisted of 'heavy shelling.' South Sudan is the world's youngest country, having gained independence in 2011. Soon after, it fell into a five-year civil war between Kiir and Machar that killed some 400,000 people until a peace deal in 2018 brought them into a unity government. 'Teetering on the edge' The focus of recent clashes has been Nasir County in the northeastern Upper Nile State. A loose band of armed youth known as the White Army, allied to Machar, overran a military base in Nasir in early March. The army responded with aerial strikes in nearby areas, including the use of bombs containing a highly flammable liquid that acts as an accelerant upon explosion, according to a statement Monday by Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). 'These indiscriminate attacks on civilians are causing significant casualties and horrific injuries, especially burns,' Haysom said, adding that an estimated 63,000 people have been displaced. Haysom said the country was 'teetering on the edge of a relapse into civil war.' Analysts say Kiir has been taking steps in recent months to sideline Machar, promoting new members to the cabinet without consultation as the 73-year-old prepares his succession. Last week, he replaced the Machar-allied governor of Upper Nile State with one of his own allies. Machar's party says 22 of its political and military members have been detained since February, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and deputy army chief General Gabriel Duop Lam. On Monday, the United States State Department said Kiir and Machar 'must engage in direct dialogue to curb escalating violence in South Sudan.' 'Non-state militia attacks, govt-backed airstrikes, and promotion of sanctioned officials to high office are deeply concerning,' it said in a statement on X. South Sudan is already one of the poorest countries in the world, and UNICEF said Monday that it is suffering its worst cholera outbreak since independence, with almost 700 deaths in six months, including many children.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Sudan opposition decries strike as US warns of rise in violence
The South Sudan opposition said one of its army bases near the capital Juba was bombarded late Monday as Washington warned it was "deeply concerned" by escalating violence between the rival factions. Clashes between forces allied to President Salva Kiir and his long-time rival, First Vice President Riek Machar, have left their 2018 power-sharing agreement increasingly fragile and threaten to plunge the country back into civil war. Late Monday, Machar's party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition, said its military cantonment at Wunaliet, around 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the capital Juba, was attacked. "This provocative action is a violation of the (2018 peace agreement)," said a spokesperson in a statement. Earlier in the day, a spokesman for the Kiir-aligned army, Lul Ruai Koang, warned that Machar's forces in the area were "scaling up their movements" and had sent out a patrol towards army positions "clearly in military formation". The army was yet to confirm the later strikes, but local media reported that it consisted of "heavy shelling". South Sudan is the world's youngest country, having gained independence in 2011. Soon after, it fell into a five-year civil war between Kiir and Machar that killed some 400,000 people until a peace deal in 2018 brought them into a unity government. - 'Teetering on the edge' - The focus of recent clashes has been Nasir County in the northeastern Upper Nile State. A loose band of armed youth known as the White Army, allied to Machar, overran a military base in Nasir in early March. The army responded with aerial strikes in nearby areas, including the use of bombs containing a highly flammable liquid that acts as an accelerant upon explosion, according to a statement Monday by Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). "These indiscriminate attacks on civilians are causing significant casualties and horrific injuries, especially burns," Haysom said, adding that an estimated 63,000 people have been displaced. Haysom said the country was "teetering on the edge of a relapse into civil war". Analysts say Kiir has been taking steps in recent months to sideline Machar, promoting new members to the cabinet without consultation as the 73-year-old prepares his succession. Last week, he replaced the Machar-allied governor of Upper Nile State with one of his own allies. Machar's party says 22 of its political and military members have been detained since February, including Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol and deputy army chief General Gabriel Duop Lam. On Monday, the United States State Department said Kiir and Machar "must engage in direct dialogue to curb escalating violence in South Sudan". "Non-state militia attacks, govt-backed airstrikes, and promotion of sanctioned officials to high office are deeply concerning," it said in a statement on X. South Sudan is already one of the poorest countries in the world, and UNICEF said Monday that it is suffering its worst cholera outbreak since independence, with almost 700 deaths in six months, including many children. str-er/fox
Russia Today
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
US orders staff to leave African state
The US has ordered non-emergency government personnel in South Sudan to leave the country, citing security concerns following reports of heavy clashes in recent weeks between the African nation's forces and armed youth in the northern town of Nasir. Several soldiers of the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF), including an army general, were killed on Friday when a UN helicopter came under attack while attempting to evacuate them from troubled Upper Nile State. According to the UN, one crew member died and two others were severely injured. In a travel advisory issued on Saturday, the US State Department warned of ongoing armed conflict in South Sudan, including fighting between various political and ethnic groups. 'Weapons are readily available to the population,' it stated, adding that US government employees in the East African country are 'under a strict curfew' and 'must use armored vehicles for nearly all movements' due to violent crime, such as shootings, robberies, and kidnappings. The landlocked state became Africa's newest country after it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. However, it has remained volatile since the end of a five-year civil war that erupted in 2013 over a feud between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his current first vice president, Riek Machar. Despite a 2018 peace deal allowing the rivals to share power, political tensions persist due to President Kiir's frequent dismissals of officials reportedly loyal to Machar. Security forces arrested two ministers and several senior military officials allied with Machar earlier this month. The move came after tensions began to flare up again when fighting erupted in Nasir on February 14 between Sudanese armed forces and the White Army militia, which is mostly made up of Nuer people, Machar's ethnic group. Sudanese government spokesperson Michael Makuei accused the vice president of being responsible for the unrest, saying the arrests were made because the Machar-allied officials are in 'conflict with the law.' He said they collaborated with the militia and attacked an army barracks near Nasir on March 4. In a recent national address, President Kiir vowed that he would 'never' return the country to war. On Friday, an African Union delegation visited South Sudan and urged Kiir to 'create a room for a meeting with the first vice president as soon as possible to help reduce the tension,' according to a government statement.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US orders non-emergency staff to leave South Sudan as tensions rise
The United States has ordered all its non-emergency staff in South Sudan to leave, amid rising tensions in the country. Fighting in recent days has threatened an already fragile peace deal between President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar. The two leaders signed a peace agreement in 2018 to end a five-year civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people, but their relationship has remained fraught. On Sunday, the US State Department said that fighting was ongoing in South Sudan between various political and ethnic groups and that "weapons are readily available to the population". "Due to the risks in the country, on March 08, 2025, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees," it said. The UN human rights commission for South Sudan on Saturday warned of an "alarming regression" that threatened to undo years of progress towards peace. President Kiir has called for calm and made an assurance that the country would not return to war. In an escalation of the tensions, a UN helicopter that had been evacuating members of the national army was shot at on Friday, killing several people, including one crew member. Earlier in the week, the deputy chief of the army and two ministers allied to Machar were arrested by security forces, which an opposition spokesman termed a "grave violation" of the peace deal. The arrests of the Machar-allied officials followed clashes in the country's Upper Nile state between government forces and a militia known as the White Army, which had fought alongside Machar during the civil war. South Sudan, the world's newest nation, gained independence in 2011 after seceding from Sudan. But just two years later, following a rift between Kiir and Machar, the country descended into a civil war, in which more than 400,000 people were killed. The 2018 power-sharing agreement between the two stopped the fighting, but key elements of the deal have not been implemented – including a new constitution, an election, and the reunification of armed groups into a single army. Sporadic violence between ethnic or local groups has continued in parts of the country. General's arrest violates South Sudan peace deal, opposition says Mystery in South Sudan after sacked spy boss mired in gun battle Curfew and deaths in South Sudan after revenge attacks on Sudanese Salva Kiir: South Sudan's president in a cowboy hat Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
10-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
South Sudan tensions: US orders non-emergency staff to leave
The United States has ordered all its non-emergency staff in South Sudan to leave, amid rising tensions in the in recent days has threatened an already fragile peace deal between President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek two leaders signed a peace agreement in 2018 to end a five-year civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people, but their relationship has remained Sunday, the US State Department said that fighting was ongoing in South Sudan between various political and ethnic groups and that "weapons are readily available to the population". "Due to the risks in the country, on March 08, 2025, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees," it UN human rights commission for South Sudan on Saturday warned of an "alarming regression" that threatened to undo years of progress towards Kiir has called for calm and made an assurance that the country would not return to an escalation of the tensions, a UN helicopter that had been evacuating members of the national army was shot at on Friday, killing several people, including one crew in the week, the deputy chief of the army and two ministers allied to Machar were arrested by security forces, which an opposition spokesman termed a "grave violation" of the peace arrests of the Machar-allied officials followed clashes in the country's Upper Nile state between government forces and a militia known as the White Army, which had fought alongside Machar during the civil Sudan, the world's newest nation, gained independence in 2011 after seceding from just two years later, following a rift between Kiir and Machar, the country descended into a civil war, in which more than 400,000 people were 2018 power-sharing agreement between the two stopped the fighting, but key elements of the deal have not been implemented – including a new constitution, an election, and the reunification of armed groups into a single violence between ethnic or local groups has continued in parts of the country. You may also be interested in: General's arrest violates South Sudan peace deal, opposition saysMystery in South Sudan after sacked spy boss mired in gun battleCurfew and deaths in South Sudan after revenge attacks on SudaneseSalva Kiir: South Sudan's president in a cowboy hat Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
