South Sudan fighting displaces nearly 280,000; UN warns of ‘perfect storm’

The escalation comes amid rising protection risks for civilians and aid workers, with three humanitarian personnel killed between 7 and 16 February in Jonglei and Upper Nile states, according to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA.

Access to some of the worst-affected areas remains uneven despite renewed pledges by authorities to allow relief operations.

Last Friday, Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher arrived in the country for a five-day mission to draw international attention to what he described as a deteriorating and underreported crisis.

“So here in South Sudan, you have this perfect storm of climate change and conflict and inequality and poverty,” Mr. Fletcher said upon arrival. “Right now, people here in South Sudan feel that no one is listening.”

Displacement surges

Clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces – the national army – and elements of the rival Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-iO), which resumed in late December, have triggered large-scale displacement across central and northern Jonglei.

According to South Sudanese authorities, nearly 280,000 people have fled their homes across eight counties, with many moving into Upper Nile and Lakes states.

Families are sheltering in the open or in makeshift structures, with urgent needs for food, healthcare and basic supplies. Markets and agricultural activities have been disrupted, leaving several communities with little or no access to food.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has scaled up food assistance but fighting and insecurity – including looting of aid convoys – are hampering the response.

Caught in the crossfire

In Akobo, southern Jonglei state, Mr. Fletcher visited a local hospital, where at least 93 patients with gunshot wounds had been treated by 18 February.

“Civilians should never be a target,” he said, after meeting victims that included an 18-month-old child and a 70-year-old grandmother.

At the hospital, a humanitarian worker recounted: “The father was shot. The mother was abducted.” The grandmother had walked seven days for help. Asked whether she had received food, Mr. Fletcher observed: “There is no food.”

He added that communities are going “weeks, without the support they need,” describing “devastating stories of sexual violence, of hunger and starvation, of children arriving who have lost everything.”

Cholera on the march

The fighting has taken a heavy toll on health services. Thirteen facilities have reportedly been damaged or looted, resulting in three deaths and one injury among health workers. In some counties, most facilities have been destroyed or suspended operations.

Meanwhile, cholera continues to spread. Between 11 and 17 February, 106 new cases and three deaths were reported across five counties. Since the outbreak began in September 2024, more than 98,000 cases and 1,624 deaths have been recorded nationwide.

Access and accountability

Although authorities have reiterated directives for unhindered humanitarian access, implementation remains inconsistent. Aid convoys have faced denials in some areas, and operational constraints have limited movements.

Mr. Fletcher said the challenge extends beyond immediate relief, asking: “How do we get a peace process? How do we end this conflict? How do we provide security for people here?”

“But also, how do we cut through the noise, the noise of distraction and apathy?”