Clashes raise concern over South Sudan’s fragile peace deal

Two days of clashes between government forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) have renewed concerns over South Sudan’s fragile peace, Africa News reported on September 1.

The SPLA-IO accused government troops of launching attacks in Western Equatoria and Upper Nile states, resulting in the deaths of one rebel fighter and two soldiers, with additional casualties reported. The group emphasised that these hostilities violate the 2018 peace accord aimed at ending the country’s civil war.

Tensions have been escalating since March, when military operations were reportedly conducted in civilian-populated areas. Reports that Ugandan forces were supporting government troops added to fears of renewed large-scale conflict.

Maghreb rights under fire — Maghrebi Week Sept 1

In March, Riek Machar, serving as vice president under the power-sharing arrangement, was detained after speaking out against foreign troop involvement. The UN described his arrest as placing the country on the brink of widespread conflict.

These developments build on a trend noted earlier in the year. The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan warned on June 13 that escalating military offensives, political repression, and the involvement of foreign forces risk pushing the revitalised peace agreement to collapse. The commission urged urgent, coordinated action by regional powers and the African Union to preserve the agreement and prevent further destabilisation.

Earlier still, in April, a delegation from the African Union arrived in Juba to conduct emergency peace talks following Machar’s house arrest, seeking to stem a slide back into civil war.

These clashes highlight unresolved tensions between the government and SPLA-IO forces, despite seven years under the peace framework. Disputes over power-sharing, military integration, and foreign involvement continue to stall progress, leaving the agreement vulnerable and raising questions about its long-term viability.

The international and regional actors who supported South Sudan’s 2018 peace deal now face mounting pressure to prevent its disintegration and safeguard the country from full-scale conflict.