As elections near, South Sudan risks new atrocity crimes, warns rights probe

The under-reported humanitarian crisis in South Sudan risks deepening with the real possibility of further atrocity crimes unless renewed fighting stops, a UN-backed probe said on Thursday.Key points‘Rushing’ to elections could fuel conflict, says CommissionHundreds of ceasefire violations confirmedPeace deal still largely unimplemented Inclusive politics ‘abandoned’With the country on the cusp of its first national elections since independence, the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan stressed that “multiple risk factors for atrocity crimes are converging…The window to prevent a return to the scale of atrocities and displacement South Sudan endured between 2013–2018 is closing, but it has not yet completely shut.” The warning comes amid the resumption of armed conflict in several parts of the country, in Upper Nile, Jonglei and Unity states, with clashes and civilian deaths also recorded in Western and Central Equatoria states. A total of 407 ceasefire violations were recorded from August 2025 to January 2026.Crossroads moment“Fifteen years after independence, South Sudan is at one of its most dangerous points,” the Commission said, noting that “rushing to elections” witho...