South Sudan’s government on Tuesday called on opposition forces to immediately stop fighting in Jonglei state, warning that escalating clashes and a rebel advance risk plunging the country back into civil war.
The appeal came as government troops battled fighters loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) in northern Jonglei, a vast region stretching from Ethiopia’s border toward central South Sudan. The United Nations says the violence has already displaced tens of thousands of civilians and is unfolding on a scale not seen since 2017.
In a statement, Information Minister and government spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny said security operations were underway to counter rebel movements and restore order in the area.
“The ongoing security operation in Northern Jonglei State is a lawful and necessary measure aimed at halting the advance of rebel forces, restoring public order, and safeguarding civilians,” Ateny said. He urged the SPLA-IO to cease hostilities, warning that continued fighting could unravel the 2018 peace agreement that ended five years of civil war.
“Any actions that undermine the agreement pose a serious threat to peace and jeopardize the ongoing transitional process,” he added.
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According to the United Nations, the intensity of recent clashes between government forces and SPLA-IO-aligned fighters marks the most significant escalation in Jonglei in more than six years, raising alarms about broader instability.
The South Sudanese military on Sunday ordered civilians, aid workers, and personnel from the U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to evacuate three counties in Jonglei ahead of the government’s operation against opposition forces.
UNMISS later confirmed that at least 180,000 people have already been displaced by the fighting, many fleeing into remote areas with limited access to food, shelter, or medical care.
A spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said the mission had formally raised concerns with South Sudanese authorities, warning that the conflict could place hundreds of thousands of civilians in danger.
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“The mission also warns that escalating hate speech is fueling ethnic tensions and risks drawing civilian communities into the conflict,” the spokesperson said, highlighting fears of intercommunal violence spreading beyond the immediate battlefield.
Jonglei state has long been one of South Sudan’s most volatile regions, plagued by ethnic rivalries, cattle raids, and political violence. Analysts say renewed fighting there poses a direct challenge to the fragile power-sharing arrangement formed after the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement.
That deal ended a brutal civil war fought largely along ethnic lines between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with his longtime rival and current vice president, Riek Machar. The conflict, which erupted in 2013, killed an estimated 400,000 people and displaced millions, according to U.N. figures.
Political tensions remain high following last year’s attack on an army base in the northeastern town of Nasir. The assault was carried out by an ethnic militia with historical ties to the SPLA-IO, according to South Sudanese authorities.
Machar was later charged with treason in connection with the incident and is currently on trial. He has denied all allegations, and his party has rejected claims that it is directing armed operations in Jonglei.
Meanwhile, regional and international observers have urged restraint, warning that renewed large-scale conflict could derail preparations for long-delayed national elections and worsen an already dire humanitarian situation.
UNMISS said it is continuing to engage with all parties to press for de-escalation and humanitarian access, while monitoring displacement trends across Jonglei. Aid agencies have warned that further fighting could severely limit relief operations in one of South Sudan’s most vulnerable areas.