The 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) calls for the integration of combatants from South Sudan’s three key warring parties into a new ‘unified’ army. The process, however, has led to new sources of insecurity. This Briefing Paper explores the ways in which the R-ARCSS risks producing a national military structure that is potentially both too large and too fractious to be a viable vehicle for peace. The paper presents the case of the Arrow Boys militia in Western Equatoria state, which has been drawn into the conflict as a result of unrealistic promises made to them to affiliate with opposition forces; their involvement demonstrates how the integration process is leading to a deterioration in local security, community cohesion, and stability.

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