South Sudan Faces Crisis Amid Barrel Bomb Allegations and Escalating Violence

JUBA, South Sudan — The use of barrel bombs containing a highly flammable liquid has been reported in a military conflict in South Sudan, escalating fears of a renewed civil war, according to the United Nations.

Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN mission in South Sudan, made the remarks following violent clashes between the South Sudanese armed forces and a rebel group known as the White Army at a military base in Nasir, located in the oil-rich Upper Nile State.

Since the White Army took control of the base, aerial bombardments have plagued the area, resulting in what Haysom describes as “significant casualties and horrific burns.” He warned that a resurgence of conflict would undermine the hard-won progress achieved since the 2018 peace agreement, which ended a five-year civil war that claimed nearly 400,000 lives.

“A conflict would devastate not only South Sudan but the entire region, which simply cannot afford another war,” Haysom stated during a press briefing.

The South Sudanese government has not yet commented on the allegations surrounding the use of barrel bombs. Tensions have been mounting between President Salva Kiir and his political rival, Vice President Riek Machar, since the peace deal was signed, with sporadic violence erupting amid ethnic strife.

The arrest of several of Machar’s senior allies earlier this month was labeled a “grave violation” of the peace agreement by his supporters. These events have occurred against the backdrop of ongoing military conflict, with the White Army having previously allied with Machar during the civil war that began in 2013.

“In retaliation, communities across Upper Nile are being subjected to persistent aerial bombardment using devices, barrel bombs, allegedly containing a highly flammable liquid that acts as an accelerant on explosion,” Haysom noted. “These indiscriminate attacks on civilians are causing significant casualties and horrific injuries, especially burns.”

Local leaders first reported these allegations last week, leading to further scrutiny of the military’s actions. James Gatluak Lew, the Nasir county commissioner, claimed that state forces conducted “chemical bombardments,” raising concerns about the use of hazardous materials in the attacks.

Reports suggest that the chemical ethyl acetate, a known accelerant, was discovered at the sites of the attacks. Edmund Yakani, director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), shared that eyewitnesses had informed him about the use of “unusual weapons” in the region.

While government spokesman Michael Makuei acknowledged that military operations occurred in Upper Nile, he insisted that the strikes were targeted solely at White Army positions and did not result in civilian casualties.

However, Haysom countered that civilians, especially women and children, have been disproportionately affected, with an estimated 63,000 people displaced from their homes due to the ongoing violence. He indicated that these hostilities are intensifying as the country prepares for elections scheduled for next year.

<p“Hate speech and misinformation are driving ethnic divisions and escalating fear,” he added.

The UN mission in South Sudan, which oversees approximately 18,000 peacekeepers, is currently engaged in extensive shuttle diplomacy to avert the resurgence of civil war.

In a related development, Machar has accused Uganda of breaching the UN arms embargo on South Sudan through military airstrikes within the country. In a letter addressed to the UN, the African Union, and the regional bloc Igad, Machar alleged that Ugandan troops were involved in airstrikes against civilians in several counties, including Nasir and Jonglei State.

Earlier this month, Uganda confirmed troop deployment to South Sudan at the request of President Kiir’s government, although Juba has denied any such request.

This report included contributions from BBC journalists Ashley Lime and Akisa Wandera.