Citing escalating tensions that threaten to push South Sudan into civil war, the German foreign ministry announced Saturday the temporary closure of its embassy in Juba, the nation’s capital.

The closure follows the President’s dismissal this week of the Upper Nile state governor. The governor is accused of aligning with First Vice President Riek Machar amidst escalating clashes between government forces and an ethnic militia.

This political crisis has amplified fears that South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, could revert to conflict after emerging from a war seven years ago that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths.

The German foreign ministry stated on X (formerly Twitter) that “South Sudan is once again on the brink of civil war after years of fragile peace.”

The ministry added: “President Kiir and Vice President Machar are driving the country into a cycle of violence. They are responsible for stopping this pointless violence and finally enacting the peace agreement.”

Nicholas Haysom, the United Nations peacekeeping head in South Sudan, has also voiced his concern that the country is “on the brink of relapse into civil war.”