The United Nations rights chief warned Friday that South Sudan is sliding towards renewed civil war amid escalating violence and political breakdown.
Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Volker Turk urged urgent action to preserve a fragile peace agreement.
“We need urgent action to preserve the peace agreement and prevent fragmentation and cycles of retaliation,” Turk said.
He cautioned that without swift intervention, the country risks plunging back into all-out civil war.
Violence has surged in recent weeks as a power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and rival leader Riek Machar has unravelled.
Turk said the situation worsened sharply in January, with a 45 percent rise in documented rights violations compared with December.
His office recorded 189 civilian deaths last month alone, with many more wounded in attacks across the country.
He described himself as horrified by reports of a massacre in Ayod County in Jonglei state last weekend.
Witnesses said government troops and allied militia gathered villagers before opening fire, killing 21 unarmed civilians, including women and children.
Turk said military discipline appears to have collapsed on both sides, with near-total disregard for civilian protection.
His team documented more than 5,100 people killed or wounded in 2025, marking a 40 percent increase from 2024.
He also reported 550 civilians abducted this year by opposition forces and allied groups, describing a disturbing rise.
Turk warned that hate speech and incitement targeting entire communities are deepening ethnic divisions and fuelling violence.
Separately, the deputy head of the International Organization for Migration called for urgent political dialogue to halt the crisis.
Ugochi Daniels said more than 250,000 people have been displaced in two months, a crisis barely noticed globally.
Without political progress, security and sustained investment, she warned, South Sudan risks sinking into prolonged displacement and dependency.
