Two United Nations peacekeepers were killed Monday after armed men ambushed a patrol traveling to a remote area of South Sudan, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said.
Seven other people were injured in the attack, including three peacekeepers, two members of the South Sudanese police and two civilian staff members working with the UN mission. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the two peacekeepers who were killed were Ethiopian nationals.
The patrol was traveling toward the Pajut area in Jonglei state when it came under attack. Following the incident, UNMISS deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and assist with the emergency response.
“Such deadly violence targeting UNMISS personnel who are serving to support peace in South Sudan is unacceptable,” UNMISS head Anita Kiki Gbeho said in a statement.
Nine UN Peacekeepers Killed Since January
Monday’s attack brings the number of UN peacekeepers killed by militias in South Sudan since the beginning of the year to nine, according to Dujarric.
The UN spokesperson warned that attacks against UN peacekeepers could constitute war crimes under international law, underscoring the seriousness of the escalating violence.
Growing Violence Raises Fears of Civil War
South Sudan has experienced renewed violence as government forces battle opposition fighters and militias loyal to opposition leader Riek Machar.
Machar, who was suspended as vice president last year after facing treason and other charges that he says are politically motivated, remains under house arrest.
A 2018 peace agreement between President Salva Kiir and Machar has effectively collapsed, raising fears that the country could once again descend into a full-scale civil war.
Violence has also increasingly affected humanitarian operations. According to UN figures, more than 450 incidents targeting humanitarian workers and assets were reported between January and July, more than twice the number recorded during the same period last year.
Conflict Intensifies in Jonglei
The latest escalation began in December, when opposition forces seized government outposts in Jonglei. Since January, government forces have launched a counteroffensive involving aerial bombardments and ground operations, despite an official commitment to the 2018 peace agreement.
The United States has urged President Kiir and Machar to return to negotiations. Earlier this year, Washington called for urgent action to preserve peace and reduce the risk of a return to civil war, including an immediate resumption of dialogue between the parties to the 2018 agreement.
The latest attack highlights the growing security challenges facing UN personnel and humanitarian workers in South Sudan as the country struggles to prevent a renewed cycle of armed conflict.
