Control of the strategic town of Nasir has been reasserted by South Sudanese Government forces, it was confirmed by military officials on Sunday April 20. The town, located in the conflict-prone Upper Nile State, had been seized in early March by a militia force aligned with Vice-President Riek Machar. Since then, a sustained offensive—reportedly supported by Ugandan troops—has been carried out by government troops to restore authority in the area. Nasir’s retaking is being presented as a symbolic victory in a region where the balance of power has increasingly shifted in favour of President Salva Kiir’s administration.
Destabilisation of the already fragile power-sharing agreement between Kiir and Machar has been exacerbated by recent clashes, including in Nasir and neighbouring towns such as Ulang, which was also reportedly seized by government forces earlier in the week. The accord signed in 2018, which ended a devastating civil war, has been under growing strain, with trust between the former foes having significantly deteriorated. Arrests of senior figures associated with Machar and his subsequent house arrest in late March have intensified fears that the political framework intended to maintain peace is now unravelling.
Heavy civilian casualties and mass displacement have been reported in the wake of ongoing fighting. Nearly 200 deaths and the displacement of over 125,000 individuals have been documented by the United Nations since March. Accusations of serious human rights violations have also emerged, with Human Rights Watch stating that improvised incendiary devices were used by government forces in Upper Nile State, resulting in the deaths of nearly 60 people. The actions taken by both sides have raised alarms within the international community, with concerns mounting that the country may be heading towards a renewed state of full-scale civil war.