What in the World
South Sudan conflict: Explained
Apr 10, 2025
Ashley Lime, a BBC reporter based in Nairobi, shares her insights on the escalating tensions in South Sudan, focusing on the fraught relationship between President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar. She discusses the dire continuation of violence following a fragile peace deal signed in 2018, which aimed to end a devastating civil war. Lime highlights key events, including militia assaults and the dire humanitarian crisis, underscoring the urgent need for international intervention and dialogue to stave off further conflict.
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Quick takeaways
- The escalating violence in South Sudan highlights the fragile peace between President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar, risking a return to civil war.
- International organizations stress the critical need for dialogue between Kiir and Machar to prevent further humanitarian disasters in South Sudan.
Deep dives
The Fragile Political Landscape of South Sudan
South Sudan, the world's youngest country formed in 2011, has struggled with a turbulent political environment marked by ethnic divisions and power struggles. The main figures in this political landscape are President Salva Kiir, a member of the Dinka community, and Vice President Riek Machar, from the Nuer community, whose long-standing rivalry has fueled conflict. Following the country's independence, a civil war erupted in 2013 after Kiir accused Machar of attempting a coup, resulting in a deadly conflict that would see 400,000 people killed and millions displaced. Although a peace deal was reached in 2018, the relationship between these leaders remains tense, with ongoing retaliatory violence exacerbating an already fragile situation.
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