UN raises alarm as fresh clashes in South Sudan displace 300,000 people

WorldView · Tania Wanjiku · October 14, 2025
UN raises alarm as fresh clashes in South Sudan displace 300,000 people
Soldiers of the Sudan People Liberation Army (SPLA) celebrate while standing in trenches in Lelo, outside Malakal, northern South Sudan. PHOTO/ Reuters
In Summary

Figures released by the UN show that 148,000 South Sudanese have crossed into Sudan, 50,000 into Ethiopia, another 50,000 into Uganda, 30,000 into the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 25,000 into Kenya. This new wave of displacement adds to the 2.5 million South Sudanese already living as refugees in neighbouring countries. Within South Sudan, at least two million people remain displaced, while the country also shelters more than half a million refugees who fled the war in Sudan.

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has warned that the country is edging dangerously close to another civil war, with about 300,000 people already fleeing renewed fighting between rival political factions this year.

Following a mission to the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, the Commission said violence between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and suspended First Vice President Riek Machar has erupted once again, shattering the fragile calm maintained since the 2017 ceasefire.

The Commission noted that the resurgence of armed conflict has not only forced thousands to escape but also worsened what it described as a prolonged humanitarian crisis that continues to devastate millions of lives.

Figures released by the UN show that 148,000 South Sudanese have crossed into Sudan, 50,000 into Ethiopia, another 50,000 into Uganda, 30,000 into the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 25,000 into Kenya.

This new wave of displacement adds to the 2.5 million South Sudanese already living as refugees in neighbouring countries. Within South Sudan, at least two million people remain displaced, while the country also shelters more than half a million refugees who fled the war in Sudan.

The Commission said the renewed instability, coupled with rampant corruption and political rivalries, has undone much of the progress made in stabilising the young nation.

Commissioner Barney Afako, who led the UN team to the AU, said the situation calls for urgent and coordinated political action to prevent the country from descending into another bloody conflict.

“Unless there is immediate, sustained, and coordinated political engagement by the region, South Sudan risks sliding back into full-scale conflict with unimaginable human rights consequences,” he said.

The Commission linked the crisis to persistent corruption and impunity among the country’s political elite, accusing them of undermining governance structures and fuelling division.

It referenced its previous report, Plundering a Nation: How rampant corruption unleashed a human rights crisis in South Sudan, which documented how leaders diverted public resources, depriving citizens of vital services and deepening public suffering.

The Commission further condemned South Sudan’s leadership for stalling the implementation of peace agreements, despite consistent mediation efforts by the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

Commission Chair Yasmin Sooka underscored that peace in South Sudan cannot be achieved without accountability, criticising the government’s inaction on establishing the Hybrid Court agreed upon in the 2018 peace deal.

“The promises made to victims years ago remain unmet. The Hybrid Court must move from paper to concrete action. The African Union has the mandate and moral responsibility to ensure justice is delivered,” she said.

The Commission urged both the African Union and the United Nations Security Council, which are holding meetings in Addis Ababa this week, to prioritise justice mechanisms and accelerate the establishment of the Hybrid Court.

It called for collective international efforts to stop the worsening violence and ensure South Sudan does not relapse into another devastating civil war.

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