South Sudan risks return to full-blown civil war as violence escalates

South Sudan is facing a potential return to full-blown civil war due to escalating violence between government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and opposition forces allied with Riek Machar. Recent weeks have seen increased confrontations, including a deadly attack on a village in Abiemnom county on Sunday, resulting in at least 169 deaths and prompting the UN to shelter over 1,000 civilians. The UN mission in South Sudan said it was sheltering more than 1,000 civilians in its base in the area and providing medical care to those injured. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has also reported 26 staff members missing and the suspension of medical activities in parts of Jonglei state due to intense fighting between the warring parties since December. MSF said its hospital in Lankien had been hit in an airstrike by government forces and later burned and looted, and its health facility in Pieri was looted.

A UN report released on February 27, 2026, warns that South Sudan is at risk of returning to full-scale war due to escalating violence and widespread impunity for abuses. The UN's Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan found that civilians are enduring severe abuses, including killings, sexual violence, and forced displacement, amid a deepening humanitarian crisis. The report blames political and military elites for undermining the 2018 peace agreement by detaining opposition leaders and eroding power-sharing arrangements. The UN urges urgent preventative action, including diplomatic pressure, sanctions, and enforcement of the UN arms embargo, to prevent further atrocities and institutional collapse in South Sudan. The report highlights the arrest and removal of First Vice President Riek Machar as a key factor undermining the peace agreement.