United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that a peace agreement in South Sudan was in a shambles, telling the country's leaders to put down the weapons and put all the people of South Sudan first.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres makes comments on the security situation in South South Sudan, in New York City, U.S., March 28, 2025. Reuters/Caitlin Ochs
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Friday that a peace agreement in South Sudan was in a shambles, telling the country's leaders to put down the weapons and put all the people of South Sudan first.
"Let's not mince words: What we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people," Guterres told reporters.
First Vice President Riek Machar was put under house arrest in the capital Juba on Wednesday, in effect voiding a 2018 peace deal that ended a five-year civil war and brought Machar and President Salva Kiir into a fragile power-sharing government.
On Friday, the information minister accused Machar of seeking to launch a rebellion against the government.
"All the dark clouds of a perfect storm have descended upon the people of the world's newest country – and one of the poorest," said Guterres, listing a security emergency, political upheaval, "a humanitarian nightmare", a displacement and funding crisis and an economic meltdown.
"Meanwhile, ethnic and political targeting by security forces – coupled with the spread of misinformation on social media – is lighting the fuse for even worse," he added.
The U.N. Mission in South Sudan "is working around the clock to ease tensions – engaging all parties and boosting protection of civilians," Guterres said.
By Michelle Nichols
The leader of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said on Sunday that his war against the army was not over and his forces would return to Khartoum despite being largely driven out of the capital.
The World Court said on Friday it would hear a case brought by Sudan demanding emergency measures against the United Arab Emirates and accusing the Gulf state of violating obligations under the Genocide Convention by arming paramilitary forces.
The Sudanese army drove its rival Rapid Support Forces from most of Khartoum city, residents said on Wednesday, as the army chief toured the presidential palace and airport, marking a major military gain though the wider war looks far from over.
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