UN condemns attack on UN Aircraft in South Sudan as war crime, warns of looming chaos

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan condemned the attack on a United Nations aircraft, which resulted in tragic fatalities, including the death of UN personnel, and classified it as a war crime.

In a statement released on March 8, the UN Commission warned that the surge in violence in Upper Nile State, escalating political tensions in Juba, and other political intrigues are threatening to derail South Sudan’s Revitalized Peace Agreement and inflict more pain and suffering on citizens.

“The armed confrontations in Nasir including the criminal attack on a United Nations aircraft, which resulted in tragic fatalities, including the death of UN personnel, must be condemned and is considered a war crime,” said the statement.

“They are the consequence of political mismanagement, including prolonged delays in the unification of armed forces, required under the Revitalized Agreement.”

The statement further states that the targeting and dismissal of opposition figureheads, including ministers and governors, combined with military confrontations, and mobilisation of militia, are adding to the destabilisation and the ensuing violence.

“South Sudan should be moving forward, implementing the provisions of the peace agreement, strengthening institutions, and building a foundation for democracy,” said Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission.

“Instead, we are witnessing an alarming regression that could erase years of hard-won progress. Rather than fuelling division and conflict, leaders must urgently refocus on the peace process, uphold the human rights of South Sudanese citizens, and ensure a smooth transition to democracy”, she added.

“What we are witnessing now is a return to the reckless power struggles that have devastated the country in the past,” said Commissioner Barney Afako.

“South Sudanese have suffered enough. They have endured atrocities, rights violations which amount to serious crimes, economic mismanagement, and ever worsening security. They deserve respite and peace, not another cycle of war”, he stressed.

The Commission reminds all parties to the Revitalized Agreement, as well as other South Sudanese stakeholders, of their obligations and responsibilities to respect human rights and to invest in completing the transitional processes.

These include constitutional reforms, the establishment of the Truth Commission, the Reparation Authority, and the Hybrid Court—critical mechanisms intended to address the root causes of conflict and break the recurring cycles of political crises and human rights violations.

“It is time for leaders to act responsibly. South Sudan must continue to move forward with the transition—towards stability, democracy, and lasting peace—otherwise the country will backslide into chaos.

The tension in Upper Nile must be resolved through dialogue, not through armed confrontation that will destabilize the entire nation and the region.

The current trajectory of instability, repression, and renewed conflict must not be allowed to continue”, said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández.

South Sudanese are deeply fearful and desperate for peace and now look to regional and international actors—particularly neighbouring states and other guarantors of the Peace Agreement—to urgently re-engage with South Sudan’s leaders, de-escalate the violence, recommit to dialogue and compromise, and ensure the full implementation of the ceasefire and the completion of the transition.