South Sudan 'back to war' as serious fighting breaks out

South Sudan is on the verge of another civil war as rival government factions fought in Juba over the weekend, leaving nearly 300 dead and deflating hopes that peace between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar will hold. The United Nations (UN) says hundreds of civilians are fleeing the fighting, adding it is “gravely concerned” about reports that troops are blocking civilians from seeking protection at UN properties. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the fighting “has the potential of reversing the progress made so far in the peace process”. This latest news risks worsening an already existing humanitarian crisis with over two million people displaced and 11 million living in poverty. 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday said that he was "shocked and appalled by the heavy fighting" that is currently taking place in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, and strongly urged the leaders of the youngest country in the world to "do everything within their power" to de-escalate the hostilities.

"I strongly urge President Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar to do everything within their power to de-escalate the hostilities immediately and to order their respective forces to disengage and withdraw to their bases," Ban said in a statement.

"This senseless violence is unacceptable and has the potential of reversing the progress made so far in the peace process," the statement said, according to Xinhua.

United Nations compounds and protection of civilians sites in Juba have been caught in the cross-fire, the secretary-general noted. "I am deeply frustrated that despite commitments by South Sudan's leaders, fighting has resumed."

"They must take decisive action to regain control of the security situation in Juba; prevent the spread of violence to other parts of the country; guarantee the safety and security of civilians, United Nations and other personnel; and genuinely commit themselves to the full implementation of the peace agreement," he said.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan continues to protect displaced civilians and engage all stakeholders in order to end the fighting and restore security.

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South Sudan has cancelled this year's independence celebrations due to the economic crunch resulting from more than two years of civil conflict. It won independence on July 9, 2011 from Sudan after more than two decades of war that ended in a bitter divorce.

The country again plunged into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup, which the latter denied, leading to a cycle of retaliatory killings.

President Kiir and former rebel leader and now First Vice President Machar signed a peace deal in August that paved way for the formation of the transitional unity government to end more than two years of civil conflict.