A South Sudanese general and dozens of soldiers were killed Friday when a United Nations helicopter attempting to evacuate them from the northern town of Nasir came under attack, the government said.
The United Nations condemned the attack as “utterly abhorrent” and a potential war crime, warning it could undermine South Sudan’s fragile peace process.
The helicopter was on a mission to airlift soldiers following heavy clashes in Nasir between government forces and the White Army militia, a group the administration of President Salva Kiir has linked to rival First Vice President Riek Machar’s forces.
In a national address, Kiir confirmed the deaths of General Majur Dak and his troops, stating that Machar had assured both him and the UN that the general would be safely evacuated. The rescue mission proceeded based on those assurances, he said.
Information Minister Michael Makuei reported that approximately 27 soldiers were killed in the attack. A UN crew member was also among the casualties. It remains unclear whether the helicopter was struck in the air or attacked while on the ground.
Machar’s spokesperson, Puok Both Baluang, declined to comment on the incident. Previously, Machar’s party denied any involvement in the recent fighting in Nasir.
Nicholas Haysom, head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), denounced the attack, stating it may constitute a war crime under international law.
“We deeply regret the killing of those we were attempting to extract, particularly given that safe passage assurances had been provided. UNMISS calls for a full investigation to identify and hold those responsible accountable,” Haysom said.
The attack comes amid heightened political tensions, following the arrest of several top officials allied with Machar, including the petroleum minister, peacebuilding minister, and the deputy head of the army. These detentions threaten the stability of the 2018 peace agreement that ended South Sudan’s five-year civil war.
The government has not publicly commented on the arrests. Machar’s spokesperson said all detained officials, except the peacebuilding minister, remain in custody or under house arrest.
The White Army, primarily composed of armed youth from the Nuer ethnic group, previously fought alongside Machar’s forces in the 2013-2018 civil war against President Kiir’s predominantly ethnic Dinka troops.
Despite Friday’s attack, Kiir reiterated that South Sudan would not return to war. However, analysts warn that escalating violence could reignite full-scale conflict.
The United Nations has urged all parties to avoid further violence and called on South Sudan’s leaders to intervene through dialogue to prevent a worsening security situation in Nasir and beyond.
Although the 2018 peace deal formally ended the civil war, localized conflicts between rival communities continue to flare up. South Sudan remains home to nearly 20,000 UN peacekeepers from 73 countries, deployed since the nation’s independence from Sudan in 2011.
