Two United Nations peacekeepers were killed and seven people wounded when unidentified gunmen ambushed a patrol in South Sudan’s eastern Jonglei state on Monday, the UN mission said. The attack targeted a UNMISS patrol travelling to the remote area of Pajut when it came under fire from armed individuals. The dead peacekeepers were Ethiopian nationals serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Among the seven wounded were three additional peacekeepers, two South Sudan National Police Service personnel, and two civilian staff. UNMISS immediately deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and support emergency response operations. The patrol was en route to Pajut, a remote settlement in the eastern region, when the ambush occurred. The attackers opened fire on the convoy, killing two peacekeepers instantly and wounding others. Security forces later secured the area but the attackers had fled into the surrounding bush.
UN Calls Attack a Possible War Crime
UNMISS chief Anita Kiki Gbeho condemned the ambush in strong terms, calling the violence against peacekeepers unacceptable. “Such deadly violence targeting UNMISS personnel who are serving to support peace in South Sudan is unacceptable,” Gbeho said in a statement issued from Juba. She extended condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Gbeho called on the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and prompt investigation to ensure those responsible are brought to justice. UNMISS reminded the parties that attacks against UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international humanitarian law. The statement underscored the gravity of the incident, which marks one of the deadliest attacks on UNMISS personnel in recent months and raises serious questions about the safety of peacekeepers operating in remote areas of the country.
Peace Process Under Growing Strain
The ambush comes as South Sudan’s fragile peace process faces mounting pressure from renewed violence across the country. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after more than two decades of civil war, but plunged into a separate conflict just two years later following a political struggle between President Salva Kiir and his then deputy Riek Machar. The 2018 peace agreement has been increasingly difficult to maintain, with multiple armed groups operating across the territory. A UN-backed probe warned on August 20 that the under-reported humanitarian crisis risks deepening with the real possibility of further atrocity crimes unless renewed fighting stops. The warning came just days before the Jonglei ambush. The Security Council held an emergency session on August 6 as warnings of famine and collapse mounted, with council members hearing testimony about the deteriorating situation on the ground and the urgent need for renewed political engagement.
Aid Workers Among the Most at Risk
South Sudan remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for humanitarian workers, according to UN agencies. At least 36 humanitarian workers have been killed in the country since January, already surpassing the 31 killed in all of 2025. The UN Spokesperson said attacks on humanitarian workers are unacceptable and violate international humanitarian law. Nearly eight million people, more than half the population, face crisis-level hunger, with famine risk now flagged in four counties. A cholera outbreak has killed more than 1,700 people, and aid workers are being killed and abducted even as they try to reach those most at risk. The scale of the humanitarian catastrophe has drawn international concern, with agencies warning that without sustained access, the death toll could rise sharply in the coming months.
A Legacy of Violence
UNMISS was established shortly after South Sudan’s independence in 2011 and is mandated to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access, monitor human rights violations, and support the country’s peace process and political transition. The mission operates in one of the most challenging environments in the global peacekeeping system, with limited infrastructure, vast remote areas, and multiple armed factions. Jonglei state, where the ambush occurred, has long been one of the most volatile regions in South Sudan, with inter-communal violence, cattle raiding, and armed group activity creating a persistent security vacuum. The targeting of a UN patrol in the area underscores the scale of lawlessness that persists despite the formal peace framework. The United States has been pushing both Kiir and Machar toward renewed talks, calling earlier this year for urgent action to uphold peace and mitigate the risk of civil war through an immediate return to dialogue among the parties to the 2018 agreement. As the international community monitors the situation, the killing of two peacekeepers serves as a stark reminder that South Sudan’s path to stability remains fraught with danger.
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