The latest escalation in the protracted South Sudan crisis has seen intense clashes between the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People's Liberation Army – In Opposition (SPLA-IO), displacing over 280,000 civilians across Jonglei State. Violence has escalated since late December 2025, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
An OCHA report released on Thursday states that the clashes have forced civilians to flee their homes and seek safety in temporary settlements or the bush. In addition to being displaced, civilians have sustained serious injuries. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the majority of those displaced are women and children.
On Monday, armed clashes were reported between SSPDF and SPLA-IO forces in Walgak, Akobo County, prompting fears of a potential renewed assault. Intermittent clashes in Nyirol County have also caused further displacement in Nyambor and Chuil villages, leading to additional movement towards Ulang County in Upper Nile State.
OCHA warns that civilians continue to face severe threats to their protection, with reports of killings, abductions, family separation, gender-based violence and children being injured in explosions. Aid workers have also been affected, with at least three killed in Jonglei and Upper Nile states since early February.
The humanitarian situation in Jonglei remains fragile, with intensified clashes between the SSPDF and the SPLA-IO continuing to uproot communities and disrupt basic services across northern and central counties. There have been reports of sustained ground fighting, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and intermittent airstrikes.
On Tuesday, Tom Fletcher, the UN's humanitarian chief, concluded a five-day mission to South Sudan, intended to draw international attention to the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
During his visit, he met with affected communities, donors, aid agencies, religious leaders and government officials to advocate for peace, unfettered humanitarian access and the protection of civilians and aid workers.
Fletcher expressed grave concern over the plight of the displaced population, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, new mothers, and people with disabilities. He called for urgent support to address their needs and demanded increased protection for aid workers who are risking their lives to provide essential services.
While in South Sudan, Fletcher also engaged with representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and religious leaders, who called for peace and accountability, and urged the government to do more.
The UN aid chief visited Malakal in Upper Nile, where he met with conflict-affected communities, and travelled to the opposition-held town of Akobo in Jonglei State, which is now home to around 42,000 internally displaced people who have fled fighting in Nyirol, Uror, Nasir, and Ulang counties. Among them were children who had lost entire families, new mothers, and people with disabilities. Many have fled with nothing, pushing those unable to walk in wheelbarrows for days.
During his visit to Akobo and other sites, Fletcher highlighted the combination of climate shocks, conflict and deprivation as a "perfect storm".
At the Bulukat Transit Center, he spoke to South Sudanese families forced to return due to the war in neighboring Sudan. People told him they want peace and security – and urgent support to rebuild their lives with dignity.
On Monday, he had met with President Salva Kiir Mayardit, Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, and several government ministers. During these meetings, he advocated for peace, humanitarian access, and the protection of civilians and aid workers.
The humanitarian crisis in South Sudan has left nearly 10 million people in need of life-saving assistance, while critical funding shortfalls are exacerbating the situation.
Funding gaps threaten the lives of the nearly 2 million people displaced
On Wednesday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that over 1.9 million displaced people in South Sudan are at risk due to insufficient resources. These gaps threaten to undermine progress towards durable solutions, potentially leading to renewed instability and displacement.
“South Sudan is carrying an extraordinary burden, and funding shortfalls risk undermining progress toward durable solutions for millions,” said Ugochi Daniel, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations.
“Across the country, displaced families and host communities are trying to rebuild their lives, but the strain is real. Without sustained support and progress toward peace, these communities could face renewed instability and displacement.”
South Sudan continues to grapple with new arrivals fleeing the war in Sudan, while millions remain displaced within the country and across borders due to years of conflict, flooding, and instability. At the same time, funding shortfalls are constraining the delivery of essential assistance and slowing progress towards long-term recovery.
Since April 2023, more than 1.3 million people have crossed into South Sudan, 67 per cent of whom are South Sudanese returnees from Sudan. This has placed immense pressure on border communities, overstretched services and fragile infrastructure, as the crisis approaches its third year.
The ongoing violence in South Sudan is set against a backdrop of broader instability and displacement caused by years of conflict, flooding and political tensions.
Last year, the level of armed conflict and violence in South Sudan escalated to alarming heights, further exacerbating an already protracted humanitarian crisis. As fighting intensified in multiple regions, more than 540,000 people were forced to flee their homes, with many sustaining life-threatening injuries.
South Sudan's humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly
The situation in Jonglei, Upper Nile and other states continues to worsen, reaching levels not seen since 2017. This deterioration is occurring amid escalating conflict that forces people to flee their homes and restricts access for aid workers. There has also been a surge in human rights violations, including the forced recruitment of children by armed forces.
Since March 2025, political instability and rising hostilities between armed groups have led to clashes in Upper Nile State, Jonglei State and other parts of the country. These clashes over the past 12 months have resulted in deaths and injuries, as well as the destruction of civilian infrastructure, forcing many displaced people, who are suffering from disease and food insecurity, to flee again.
The UN warns that women, girls, children, persons with disabilities, older persons, and other vulnerable groups face disproportionate threats, including heightened risks of violence, exploitation, and severe deprivation.
This latest upsurge of violence is occurring amid a complex humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, where more than 700,000 people were displaced by conflict and floods in 2025 alone. The country is facing a multidimensional emergency encompassing the impact of last year's flooding, disease outbreaks and food insecurity.
According to the latest food security report, over half of South Sudan's population — approximately 7.56 million people — will experience crisis-level hunger or worse during the lean season from April to July 2026. In the coming months, tens of thousands will be at risk of famine.
Furthermore, more than 2.1 million children under the age of five are currently experiencing acute malnutrition and urgently need nutritional services and treatment. Additionally, an estimated 1.15 million pregnant and breastfeeding women in South Sudan are malnourished.