South Sudan at 'dangerous point' as violence surges, peace deal under strain: UN

GENEVA

South Sudan is at a "dangerous point" and risks sliding back into full-scale civil war as violence intensifies and a fragile peace agreement comes under strain, the UN human rights chief warned Friday.

"I am extremely concerned about the human rights situation in South Sudan. This is one of the world’s forgotten crises," Volker Turk told the Human Rights Council.

Government and opposition forces and allied militias have attacked residential areas across multiple states in recent months, forcing large-scale displacement, he said, and noted that in northern Jonglei alone, more than 280,000 people fled their homes.

January saw a sharp deterioration as the human rights office documented 189 civilians killed and violations surging by 45% compared with December.

"Civilians are bearing the brunt of a spike in indiscriminate attacks, including aerial bombardments, deliberate killings, abductions and conflict-related sexual violence," Turk said.

More than 10 million people now require humanitarian assistance, while attacks on aid workers rose sharply last year.

"Human rights monitoring provides a warning system. That system is flashing red for South Sudan," he said, calling for an immediate halt to hostilities and renewed commitment to the peace agreement.

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, in a separate statement, warned of "systematic dismantling" of the 2018 peace agreement, exposing civilians to risks of renewed conflict and mass atrocities.

It cited widespread attacks on civilians, including killings, aerial bombardments of homes and medical facilities, sexual violence, abductions, and forced recruitment of boys.

Some acts "may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity," the commission said, urging an immediate cessation of hostilities and full implementation of the agreement.