Juba: The UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Sunday expressed concern over reports that a senior military leader urged troops to attack civilians in Jonglei State.

According to Anadolu Agency, UNMISS reported that over 180,000 people have been displaced in Jonglei, with communities there and elsewhere in South Sudan suffering immense harm from escalating fighting between the main parties to a 2018 peace agreement. The mission highlighted the persistent hostilities and violations of the ceasefire, despite repeated commitments to peace by South Sudan's leaders.

Graham Maitland, officer in charge of UNMISS, condemned the inflammatory rhetoric that calls for violence against civilians, including vulnerable groups, as utterly abhorrent. He urged the country's leaders to cease hostilities, uphold the peace deal, and prioritize the interests of their citizens. Maitland stressed the importance of returning to consensus-based decision-making, adhering to power-sharing arrangements, and agreeing on a path to peacefully conclude the transitional period through inclusive dialogue.

South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011 following a referendum, has been embroiled in conflict since December 2013. The conflict began when President Salva Kiir Mayardit dismissed and accused then-Vice President Riek Machar of plotting a coup. Despite peace deals signed in 2018 and 2022, the nation continues to face instability.

In February, a militia group known as the White Army, mainly composed of members from Machar's Nuer ethnic group, seized a town in the Upper Nile State. The incident led to the detention of several generals and government ministers affiliated with Machar's Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition.

Opposition leader Machar, along with several other detained figures, faces serious charges including murder, treason, and crimes against humanity. They are also accused of conspiracy, financing terrorist activities, destroying public and military property, and inciting violence in Nasir County.