The situation in South Sudan raises concerns among the international and regional communities

Concern is growing within the international and regional community that South Sudan could once again relapse into civil war due to escalating tensions. Some embassies have temporarily closed their offices in Juba due to the fragile security situation, most recently the German embassy.

Tweets by Ugandan Army Commander General Muhoozi Kainerugaba Museveni over the past two days have raised further concerns.
On Saturday, Museveni tweeted on his X account that he was “sick of the killing of Nuer people” in South Sudan.

In another tweet in the early hours of Sunday morning, Muhoozi wrote that the Nuer must surrender before the Ugandan Defense Forces (UDF) wipe them out, and that if the Nuer chiefs were wise enough to give him 1,000 cows, he would stop attacking them.

He wrote: “I am fed up with the killing of Nuer, and I ask Riek Machar to kneel before our President, His Excellency Salva Kiir. Dr. Riek Machar will kneel before Mr. Salva, and I will help him. I want this senseless fighting to end. Our people should not die because of misunderstanding. I also want 1,000 Nuer cows.”

On March 11, General Muhoozi wrote that Ugandan forces were in South Sudan to protect President Salva Kiir’s authority and secure the capital, Juba. He also stated that the Ugandan military only recognizes Salva Kiir as the president of South Sudan, and that any action against him would be tantamount to a declaration of war on Uganda.

General Muhoozi later deleted his controversial post, like all his previous posts.

The Ugandan military is supporting the SPLM-N in its fight against the “White Army,” with Ugandan warplanes launching airstrikes targeting civilian areas in Nasir and Longshok in Upper Nile, and Akobo in Jonglei.