At the brink: Can South Sudan avert another civil war?

"South Sudan could be sliding toward a civil war . The country's senior military commander, Johnson Olony, reportedly urged troops recently to act decisively and "spare no lives," including civilians, as part of preparations for a government offensive against opposition forces in Jonglei state. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and other human rights organizations have condemned Olony's remarks as encouragement for potential war cimes."

"For Tim Glawion of the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute in Freiburg, the situation is "really frightening. More than three quarters of the population are in extreme distress, threatened by hunger and exposed to the fighting. Flooding is added to this. And now the looming prospect of a renewed civil war," he told DW. The tensions are focused on Jonglei state, where renewed clashes between opposition militias and government troops have killed and injured scores. According to the UN, 180,000 people have been displaced."

""The mobilization on both sides raises fears that the situation could spiral out of control, ethnic conflicts could be triggered, and civilians could become targets," Daniel Akech, an expert at the International Crisis Group, said. "We have seen violence in areas that were taken by the opposition in December and also in January. That is a sign that the country is sliding into a full-scale war," he told DW."

South Sudan faces escalating violence as senior military orders urging troops to "spare no lives" precede a government offensive in Jonglei state. UNMISS and human rights groups condemned the remarks as encouraging potential war crimes. Political tensions intensified after the detention and trial of former Vice President Riek Machar. Widespread hunger, flooding, and extreme distress affect more than three quarters of the population. Renewed clashes between opposition militias and government forces have killed and injured scores and displaced about 180,000 people. Experts warn mobilization on both sides could trigger ethnic conflict and a slide into full-scale war.

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