75 killed in South Sudan conflict since February
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation following a sharp increase in hostilities, arbitrary arrests, and hate speech in the country.
Hostilities between the South Sudan army and opposition, including their respective allied armed groups, have left at least 75 civilians killed and 78 others injured since February, the United Nations (UN) human rights office said on Friday.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan following a sharp increase in hostilities, arbitrary arrests, and hate speech in the country.
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"The escalating hostilities in South Sudan portend a real risk of further exacerbating the already dire human rights and humanitarian situation, and undermining the country's fragile peace process," Turk said in a statement.
The latest armed violence erupted following a series of attacks and confrontations in February in Nasir County, in Upper Nile State, reportedly involving a militia group identified as the White Army that the government says is linked to the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) led by First Vice President Riek Machar.
The fighting in Nasir, which is near the Ethiopian border, led to the death of 27 people, including a UN crew member, on March 7, during an evacuation mission.
Several officials were arrested, including Machar, who is still under house arrest.
Between March 5 and 26, at least 55 government officials affiliated with the SPLM-IO were arrested across the country, the UN human rights body said.
"All parties must urgently pull back from the brink," Turk said, noting that hostilities have intensified between May 3 and 20, with reports of the use of indiscriminate aerial bombardments and river and ground offensives by the South Sudan People's Defense Forces on SPLA-IO positions in parts of Fangak in Jonglei State and in Tonga County, in Upper Nile.
Civilian-populated areas have also been struck, including a medical facility operated by the Doctors Without Borders charity.
On May 21, the SPLA-IO and allied armed groups launched a counter-offensive to recapture areas it had lost in Fangak, triggering further civilian displacement.
"I urge all parties to uphold the 2018 peace agreement, ensure protection of civilians and civilian objects and facilitate humanitarian access in line with their obligations under international law," Turk said.
He urged the authorities to grant the UN Mission in South Sudan access to National Security Service detention sites to assess the welfare of the detainees.
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