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0 News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.gh/igad-sounds-alarm-as-south-sudan-clashes-jeopardize-decade-old-peace-pact/
Escalating violence in South Sudan’s northeastern Nasir County has prompted urgent calls for restraint from regional leaders, with Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu warning that fresh clashes risk unraveling the country’s fragile peace process.
Fighting erupted in mid-February between South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed civilian groups following the government’s announcement of troop rotations in Nasir, a strategic town near the Ethiopian border. Local reports indicate over 20 fatalities and multiple injuries, with clashes concentrated on the outskirts of the largely deserted town. The violence marks one of the most severe breaches of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict (R-ARCSS), which ended a five-year civil war that claimed nearly 400,000 lives.
Gebeyehu, in a sharply worded statement, urged warring factions to “immediately cease hostilities and prioritize dialogue,” stressing that the resurgence of armed conflict threatens to derail incremental progress toward stability. “These clashes endanger civilians, undermine trust, and dishonor the sacrifices made to secure this peace,” he said, emphasizing IGAD’s role as guarantor of the landmark accord. The eight-nation bloc plans to deploy a high-level delegation to assess the crisis and mediate talks with South Sudan’s transitional unity government.
Tensions flared after Juba moved to replace long-stationed troops in Nasir, a region historically marred by militia activity and intercommunal disputes. Analysts suggest the planned rotation triggered suspicions among local armed groups, who view the military’s presence as a threat to their autonomy. The county’s proximity to Ethiopia’s volatile Gambella region further complicates security dynamics, with cross-border weapon flows exacerbating unrest.
IGAD’s intervention underscores mounting regional anxiety over South Sudan’s stuttering peace process. Despite forming a unity government in 2020, key provisions of the R-ARCSS—including army integration and transitional justice—remain stalled. Chronic delays have fueled disillusionment, with sporadic clashes erupting in recent months.
The delegation’s mission, yet to be scheduled, aims to broker localized ceasefires and revive broader implementation of the peace deal. Meanwhile, humanitarian groups warn of worsening displacement, with Nasir’s residents fleeing to nearby villages. “Every bullet fired here is a step backward for South Sudan,” said a Nairobi-based diplomat, speaking anonymously. “Regional stability hangs on preventing this spark from becoming a wildfire.”
As IGAD scrambles to contain the crisis, observers note that Nasir’s turmoil tests the international community’s waning patience with South Sudan’s leaders—and their ability to turn a tenuous truce into lasting peace.
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.gh/igad-sounds-alarm-as-south-sudan-clashes-jeopardize-decade-old-peace-pact/
