The recent conflict in the northeastern Upper Nile State between forces loyal to the president and first vice president threatens the fragile agreement in place for power-sharing.

The unity government formed in 2018, led by President Salva Kiir and former rebel leader Riek Machar as First Vice President, was a result of a peace deal that aimed to end the five-year civil war that cost nearly 400,000 lives.

An armed group’s clash with the South Sudanese army on Tuesday led to the arrests of two government ministers and a deputy army chief aligned with Machar.

As fears increase of a renewed civil war, the United States ordered its non-emergency staff to leave South Sudan on Sunday.

The travel advisory stated that ongoing fighting present a risk, and that weapons are easily accessible to the population.

On Friday, a United Nations helicopter was targeted during a rescue mission, resulting in the death of a crew member.

The UN Commission on Human Rights in the country expressed concern on Saturday, stating that they have witnessed a concerning regression that could undermine years of hard-won progress.

“Rather than fueling division and conflict, leaders must focus on the peace process, uphold the human rights of South Sudanese citizens, and ensure a smooth transition to democracy,” said Yasmin Sooka, chairperson of the Commission.