US Orders Evacuation of Personnel from South Sudan
The United States has issued an urgent directive for all non-emergency personnel in South Sudan to evacuate the country, as announced by the State Department on Sunday. This decision comes amid rising tensions that are drawing international attention. At the heart of the unrest is a tenuous power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, which is now under threat due to recent skirmishes involving their allied military forces in the northeastern Upper Nile State.
The situation has escalated sharply, highlighted by a serious incident on Friday involving a United Nations helicopter that was attacked during a rescue mission. Tragically, one crew member lost their life, alongside an army general who was also involved in the operation, as confirmed by UN reports.
Escalating Conflict and Humanitarian Concerns
The State Department’s announcement underscores the deteriorating security conditions in South Sudan. “As of March 8, 2025, the Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel from South Sudan,” the statement explained. It warned of ongoing armed conflict marked by intense fighting among various political and ethnic groups, compounded by the widespread availability of weapons in the hands of civilians.
Emerging from a devastating five-year civil war that concluded in 2018, South Sudan is the world’s youngest nation. The fragile peace was supposed to stabilize the region under the power-sharing agreement between Kiir and Machar. However, accusations from Kiir’s allies against Machar’s forces suggest they are inciting unrest in Nasir County, reportedly collaborating with the so-called White Army—a loose coalition of armed youth from Machar’s Nuer ethnic group.
International Reactions and Warnings
In response to the escalating crisis, President Kiir urged the nation to remain calm and reassured citizens that there would not be a relapse into war. Nevertheless, international observers are expressing significant alarm over the potential for further violence. On Saturday, the UN Human Rights Commission for South Sudan issued a stark warning, highlighting an “alarming regression” that could undo years of advancements toward peace.
Additionally, the International Crisis Group, a prominent think tank, has raised the alarm, stating that South Sudan is perilously close to a large-scale conflict. The organization cautions that without immediate intervention, the nation faces the grim prospect of extensive ethnic violence, potentially leading to catastrophic scale massacres.
