UN admits it was caught off-guard by South Sudan violence The United Nations has said that it was caught off-guard by the violence in South Sudan. Violence erupted earlier this month between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing his former deputy Riek Machar. The UN estimates that at least 1,000 people have been killed. Hilde Johnson, UN Special Representative of the Secretary General, told reporters "We knew that there were tensions and that this could lead to problems. But I don't think any South Sudanese or any of us observers in country, and outside, expected an unravelling of the stability so quickly. The UN said it hopes to begin receiving within the next two days critical reinforcements of military hardware and personnel to assist in South Sudan - which gained independence from Sudan in 2011.