NAIROBI, Kenya — A decade after South Sudan gained independence amid much hope and fanfare, the country’s path to lasting stability remains fragile as infighting tears at the shaky coalition governing the world’s youngest nation. Over the weekend, clashes within one faction in the national unity government may have left dozens dead, according to officials. The flare-up of violence exposed long-simmering divisions and frustration over the slow implementation of political reforms, and raised concerns about the future of the tenuous peace agreement signed three years ago. The clashes pose a challenge to a nation already facing a dire humanitarian crisis, growing internal power struggles and the coronavirus pandemic. The fighting erupted early Saturday between rival forces within the military wing of Vice President Riek Machar’s party, the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition.

Source: International New York Times August 09, 2021 13:41 UTC