South Sudan gained its independence nearly three years ago, but as the country marks its third birthday, few have reason to celebrate.
Violence erupted in the world's newest nation earlier this month. South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has accused his former vice president, Riek Machar, of attempting a coup. There is an ethnic dimension to this conflict, as President Kiir's family is Dinka, and his former vice president is of Nuer descent.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that at least 92,000 people have been displaced by the violence, though it's likely more. While some UN officials have reported on mass graves in the town of Benitu, the UN Mission in South Sudan has yet to confirm this.
President Salva Kiir committed to an immediate ceasefire on Friday, according to regional leaders who urged rebel leader Riek Machar to do the same.
Jendayi Frazer, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and a Distinguished Public Service Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, examines the origins of the conflict in South Sudan, and how the international community should move forward.