Geneva and Juba — The United Nations has issued a stark warning that South Sudan’s political and military leaders are systematically undermining the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement, placing civilians at grave risk of renewed conflict and mass atrocity crimes. The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan presented its findings to the Human Rights Council, detailing widespread attacks on civilians and calling for an immediate halt to hostilities.

Escalating Violence and Systemic Violations

The commission’s report highlights that government forces have conducted “widespread and systematic attacks against civilians, including unlawful killings, indiscriminate aerial bombardment of civilian homes and medical facilities,” in clear violation of international humanitarian law. The report also documents incidents of conflict-related sexual violence, the abduction and forced recruitment of boys, and politically motivated detentions of opposition leaders, including the First Vice President.

“Taken together, these acts may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law,” said Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission. The report highlights the targeting of Nuer civilians, the forced recruitment of boys by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), and the politically motivated detentions of opposition figures.

“Armed forces under ruling party command are now most responsible for attacks against civilians, including patterns of targeting linked to ethnicity and perceived political affiliation,” Sooka added. The commission emphasized that high-level authorization is behind the attacks, with “air and ground attacks on civilians, mostly targeting opposition-affiliated areas, part and parcel of the ruling party’s systematic dismantling of the peace agreement.”

Political Repression and Legal Violations

The report also details serious violations of due process in the detention and prosecution of opposition leaders. Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández noted that the First Vice President and other opposition figures have been held without charge or legal representation for over five months. The commission found that senior officials have made prejudicial statements against the detained leaders, and key judicial figures, including chief justices and justice ministers, have been unexplainedly dismissed, indicating executive interference.

“A fundamental issue is their detention without charge or lawyers for over five months. Another is the prejudicial statements by senior officials, and unexplained dismissals of chief justices and indeed justice ministers in the process — which indicates executive interference and may in part explain why judges never addressed the unlawful detentions,” Fernández said. The commission recommended the immediate release of the detained leaders in accordance with applicable law.

The report reiterates findings from the Commission’s September 2025 paper, which exposed grand corruption diverting revenues to elites, rendering government institutions unable to address basic needs and fulfill human rights. Since its publication, corruption mechanisms have further entrenched, with Crawford Capital Ltd., a corrupt and politically-connected firm, intensifying its infiltration of government.

Call for International Action and Urgent Measures

The UN report calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the full restoration of the Revitalized Agreement. It urges South Sudan to release opposition leaders and ensure any electoral process is credible, noting that “credible electoral processes are unrealistic in a context where civic space is repressed, conflict rages, more than three million people are internally displaced, and key opposition leaders are arbitrarily detained.”

The Commission further recommends that the African Union and UN member states demand compliance with the peace deal, operationalize the Hybrid Court for South Sudan, fund humanitarian efforts, and condition political support on human rights compliance. “Without urgent course correction, South Sudan risks state failure, further undermining regional security, and trampling the rights and dignity of South Sudanese,” Sooka warned.

The UN’s warnings come amid growing concerns over the stability of South Sudan, which has been plagued by conflict since its independence in 2011. The 2018 peace agreement was intended to end the civil war that left over 400,000 people dead and displaced millions. However, the current situation suggests that the country is at a dangerous crossroads, with the potential for a full-scale war and mass atrocities if the political and military leaders continue to ignore international law and peace agreements.

As the situation deteriorates, the international community faces a critical decision: whether to take meaningful action to enforce compliance with the peace deal or risk further instability in the region. The UN and regional bodies must act swiftly to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and protect the rights of South Sudan’s citizens.