UN says two peacekeepers killed in South Sudan ambush
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Two UN peacekeepers were killed and three wounded in an ambush on a patrol in Jonglei state, South Sudan, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said on Monday. The attack occurred as the country faces a risk of sliding into full-scale civil war. UNMISS deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and support the emergency response.
Key Facts
- Two UN peacekeepers were killed and three wounded in an ambush on a patrol traveling toward Pajut in Jonglei state, South Sudan.
- Two South Sudanese police officers and two civilian staff attached to the mission were also wounded in the attack.
- UN figures show more than 450 attacks on humanitarian workers and assets between January and July, more than double last year's total for the same period.
- At least 36 humanitarian workers and contractors were killed in South Sudan this year, surpassing the 31 killed across 2025.
- Fighting escalated in December when opposition forces seized government outposts in Jonglei, and the government responded with air strikes and ground assaults.
The Ambush
Armed men ambushed a UNMISS patrol as it travelled toward Pajut in Jonglei state, according to a UNMISS statement issued on Monday. The identities and nationalities of those killed have not yet been disclosed. UNMISS deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and support the emergency response. Anita Kiki Gbeho, the head of the mission, called the violence targeting UNMISS personnel unacceptable.
Escalating Conflict
The attack comes amid months of grinding conflict between government troops and forces loyal to opposition leader Riek Machar. Machar, once vice president, was suspended from the post last year and now sits under house arrest facing treason charges he says are politically motivated. His 2018 power-sharing agreement with President Salva Kiir has fallen apart, and South Sudan now finds itself edging toward a full civil war. Fighting escalated in December when opposition forces seized government outposts in Jonglei, and the government hit back with air strikes and ground assaults. The United States has kept pushing Kiir and Machar toward talks, calling earlier this year for urgent action to uphold peace and mitigate the risk of civil war.
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UN says two peacekeepers killed in South Sudan ambush
