Rise in violence against civilians in South Sudan

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The number of civilians in South Sudan harmed by conventional parties to the conflict and other armed groups increased by 51 per cent in 2024, the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS) said on Thursday. 

The finding comes in its latest brief on violence against civilians, which also reveals a similar rise in incidents of conflict-related sexual violence (CSRV).

Sources include victims and eyewitness accounts, as well as reports from secondary sources identified during field missions, service providers and protection partners. 

Killings, abductions and other horrors

Last year, UNMISS documented 1,019 violent incidents affecting 3,657 civilians.  

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Of this number 1,561 were killed and 1,299 injured. Another 551 people were abducted, including at least nine humanitarian workers, while 246 were subjected to CRSV. 

This marks a 15 per cent increase over the 885 violent incidents documented in 2023 and a nine per cent increase in victims.

UNMISS said armed communal violence by community-based militias and/or civil defense groups remained the leading cause of harm against civilians, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of victims. 

Warrap state recorded the highest number of civilian deaths and injuries, mainly by community-based militias and/or civil defense groups, whereas Western Equatoria state documented the highest number of sexual violence.

Most abductions took place in Central Equatoria state, mainly by alleged members of National Salvation Front splinter groups, followed by Jonglei state, allegedly by armed elements from the Murle community.

Urgent action needed

“Protecting civilians and preventing violence requires urgent action by authorities at the national, state and local levels as well as by communities to address the root causes of conflict and find non-violent solutions,” said Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of UNMISS.

He stressed the critical need to promote dialogue, reconciliation and social cohesion in order to defuse tensions and build trust. 

Noting that the Government of South Sudan bears primary responsibility to protect civilians, UNMISS called on national and state authorities to take appropriate measures to end violence, defuse tensions, and hold perpetrators accountable.

The UN Mission supports these efforts by conducting thousands of peacekeeping patrols each year. It also supports community efforts to promote reconciliation and peacebuilding through dialogue and actively assists political and peace processes.

Recent tensions and insecurity

South Sudan is the world’s youngest country, having gained independence from Sudan in July 2011, but soon descended into civil war.

Fighting erupted in December 2013 between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and opposition forces led by his rival Riek Machar. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed and millions displaced. A 2018 peace agreement ended the conflict and established a unity government.

The UN has been warning against a return to full-scale war in the wake of rising tensions, including the arrest of Mr. Machar last month and fresh mobilization of the army and opposing armed groups in some regions.

Mr. Haysom, the UNMISS chief, briefed the UN Security Council on Wednesday. He said that the sharp deterioration in the political and security situation threatens to unravel peace gains made in recent years.

Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian, UNMISS Force Commander, also spoke to UN News about how the spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech continue to fuel instability in South Sudan.  Listen to our interview below,

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