The United Nations reported on Tuesday that deadly clashes in northern South Sudan resulted in civilian casualties and left a peacekeeper injured.
Despite being rich in oil, South Sudan—an independent nation since 2011—remains plagued by instability, frequent clashes, and political infighting.
According to a statement from the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), fighting erupted on February 14 and 15 in Nassir, Upper Nile state, near the Sudanese border. The clashes involved the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and “armed youth.” However, the statement did not specify which groups were engaged in the fighting against the SSPDF, the national military led by President Salva Kiir.
Some combatants reportedly used heavy weaponry, leading to fatalities. While the statement did not disclose the number of casualties, it confirmed that a UN peacekeeper on a routine patrol was injured during mortar shelling.
Nicholas Haysom, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNMISS, condemned the violence against peacekeepers and urged all parties to exercise restraint.
The UN also highlighted ongoing tensions in Western Equatoria, on the opposite side of the country, between “organized forces,” though no further details were provided.
Haysom emphasized that these developments reinforce the urgent need for the full deployment of South Sudan’s unified armed forces, a key component of the 2018 peace agreement.
South Sudan previously endured a brutal five-year civil war between President Kiir and his longtime rival, Vice President Riek Machar. The 2018 peace deal mandated the unification of armed forces before long-delayed elections, but UNMISS has stated that this process remains incomplete.
