The attack on the UN helicopter has exposed rising tensions in the world's newest country, where a seven-year peace deal looks increasingly fragile.
The world's youngest country is once again facing the threat of war.
This month, a United Nations helicopter was attacked during an evacuation mission in a remote area of South Sudan, killing one crew member and seriously injuring two others. The plane was rescuing wounded government soldiers who had clashed with an armed group in Upper Nile state in the northeast. A day later, the United States said it was removing all non-emergency government workers from the country, citing security concerns.
The attack underscored the East African country's precarious stability, nearly a decade and a half after it gained independence amid hopes and fanfare. The latest clashes and the political tensions that preceded them have left regional observers fearing the collapse of a peace deal agreed seven years ago.
Here's what you need to know.
Key issues in South Sudan:
- Who is fighting?
- What led to the latest escalation?
- Has the reduction in US aid affected the situation?
- What role does Uganda play?
- What happens next?
Who is fighting?
The main parties involved in the latest clashes are South Sudan's national armed forces, led by President Salva Kiir, and an opposition force known as the White Army, which is believed to be linked to Vice President Riek Machar.
Mr Kiir and Mr Machar led two opposing sides in a civil war that began in 2013 and ended with a fragile peace deal in 2018. The agreement demilitarized the capital Juba, took steps to ensure both sides shared revenues from oil exports and returned Mr Machar to the vice-president's post.
But deep-seated political and ethnic tensions remain, as do militias and armed groups with shifting loyalties. Clashes are often marked by inter-ethnic violence, particularly between Mr. Kiir’s Dinka and Mr. Machar’s Nuer ethnic groups. The repeated violence has precipitated widespread displacement, plunged the country into economic recession, and sent food and fuel prices soaring.
