Riek Machar in the news as South Sudan’s volatile power broker amid renewed clashes and UN warnings; longtime VP and opposition leader, NuER.
Fighting in South Sudan's Jonglei state has intensified, prompting a mass evacuation from Akobo as government forces prepare for an assault. Civilians, aid workers, and UN personnel are fleeing amid ongoing clashes and reports of troop movements, worsening the humanitarian crisis and threatening fragile peace efforts.
A deadly attack at a gold mine in South Sudan's Central Equatoria State has resulted in at least 73 deaths and 25 injuries. The incident, believed to be carried out by opposition forces, highlights ongoing violence linked to resource conflicts since the country's independence in 2011.
Recent weeks have seen aid access in South Sudan's conflict zones blocked, leading to starvation and deaths in communities like Nyatim. Authorities deny relief requests, and aid has been weaponized amid ongoing fighting. Civilians are suffering without support, as violence and obstruction continue today.
Updated assessments show 7.8 million South Sudan residents, 1.24 million in Lebanon, and rising numbers in DRC, Yemen, and Gaza facing high to extreme hunger. Conflict, climate shocks, displacement, and funding shortfalls are driving a widening global food-security crisis with famine feared in several areas.