20 July 2014 - Following today's attack by opposition forces on Nassir in South Sudan, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the top UN official in the country called for an immediate end to offensive operations.

The attack is “the most serious resumption of hostilities” since President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar met on 9 May in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and recommitted to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement they had signed on 23 January, according to UNMISS.

Mr. Ban voiced concern that the attack “undermines ongoing intense regional and international political engagement toward resumption of political negotiations and a peaceful resolution” of the conflict, his spokesperson said.

He called on Mr. Machar to cease immediately all offensive operations on Nassir in Upper Nile State and other points, and on the South Sudanese government to desist from launching a counter-offensive.

In the statement, Mr. Ban warned the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition leaders of “the consequences” should any innocent civilians or UN peacekeepers be harmed by the forces.

UNMISS called the timing of the attack “deplorable”, given intensive efforts underway by mediators of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to convince all parties to resume negotiations in Addis Ababa.

“It is also worrying that the attack was launched in total disrespect of the presence of the IGAD Cessation of Hostilities Monitoring and Verification Team who deployed in Nassir last month,” said UNMISS acting head Raisedon Zenenga.

In mid-December 2013, political infighting between President Salva Kiir and former Vice- President Riek Machar turned into a full-fledged conflict that has since uprooted some 1.5 million people and placed more than 7 million at risk of hunger and disease.

The conflict also sent nearly 100,000 civilians fleeing to UNMISS bases around the country.