South Sudan Conducts Air Strikes Amid Escalating Conflict with Rebels

South Sudan launched air strikes against rebels in Nasir County, exacerbating tensions between government forces and opposition groups. Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth confirmed that over 20 individuals, including children, were reportedly killed. Accusations of collusion between Machar’s forces and the White Army further risk destabilizing the 2018 peace agreement. International concern is rising over the country’s regression and humanitarian implications.

On Monday, South Sudan announced the execution of air strikes against rebel positions in Nasir County, situated in the northwest. This military action comes amid escalating hostilities between government forces and opposition groups, sparking concerns regarding the sustainability of the existing peace-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar.

Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth confirmed that the air force targeted locations in Nasir as part of ongoing security operations. He indicated that if civilians were impacted by the strikes, the government had limited options for recourse. Reports from local sources indicate that over 20 fatalities occurred, including children, during the assault.

The combat in Nasir County has exacerbated tensions between Kiir’s and Machar’s forces, jeopardizing the 2018 peace agreement that concluded a five-year civil conflict, claiming nearly 400,000 lives. The government has leveled allegations against Machar’s forces, accusing them of collaborating with the White Army, a militia composed of armed youths from the Nuer ethnic group, to fuel violence in the region.

The situation has been further aggravated after approximately 6,000 fighters from the White Army seized control of a military base in Nasir earlier this month. Additionally, an attempted rescue operation by the United Nations resulted in the tragic deaths of a UN helicopter pilot alongside a senior South Sudanese general, further heightening tensions.

Minister Lueth acknowledged the presence of Ugandan forces in the capital, Juba, under a previously undisclosed military pact, despite earlier claims to the contrary. Ugandan Army Chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba noted that Ugandan special forces had entered Juba to bolster security efforts.

The intensifying violence has prompted international concern, with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan cautioning against a distressing regression in the nation’s developmental progress, potentially undermining years of delicate stability.

The situation in South Sudan remains precarious as air strikes against rebel forces mark an unsettling escalation in conflict. The tensions between government and opposition threaten the fragile peace established in 2018, underscoring a dire humanitarian crisis with significant civilian impact. The involvement of external forces, alongside rising violence, raises critical questions about the country’s ability to maintain stability moving forward.

Original Source: newscentral.africa