GOV UBA SANI ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR NIGERIA’S LARGEST INTER-STATE BUS TERMINAL IN KADUNA. (PHOTO).
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission called for immediate de-escalation and strict adherence to South Sudan’s 2018 peace agreement, as renewed fighting in Jonglei State displaced more than 180,000 people and raised fears of further civilian harm.
In a statement, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said he was deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in parts of the country, particularly Jonglei, where escalating violence and inflammatory rhetoric have put civilians—including women and children—at heightened risk.
South Sudanese authorities estimate the number of displaced in Jonglei at more than 180,000, the United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said last week.
He urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate tensions immediately, and comply fully with the permanent ceasefire and power-sharing arrangements under the agreement, TRT Afrika reported.
The appeal followed an announcement by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) ordering civilians, humanitarian organizations, and United Nations personnel to evacuate opposition-controlled areas of Jonglei ahead of a major military operation.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has been plagued by conflict since civil war erupted in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir Mayardit dismissed then-Vice President Riek Machar, accusing him of plotting a coup. Although peace deals were signed in 2018 and 2022, instability has persisted.
Fighting has intensified since late December in Jonglei, with clashes between government forces and SPLA-IO elements loyal to Machar, who has been under house arrest since March 2025 and faces charges including treason and crimes against humanity. Tensions within the transitional unity government have deepened, with clashes also reported earlier this year in other parts of the country.
Humanitarian groups have warned that access restrictions and insecurity are hampering aid delivery. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said supply disruptions in Jonglei had led to “catastrophic” shortages.
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