El Secretary General The UN strongly condemned the escalating violence in South Sudan and warned that civilians and humanitarian workers are paying a devastating price as humanitarian operations are increasingly targeted.
In a statement issued by his deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, the UN official said that nearly 10 million people — more than two-thirds of the population — now need humanitarian assistance to survive and “continue to bear the brunt of the conflict.”
He expressed his deep concern about the fighting, attacks and looting affecting humanitarian and health facilities, as well as the restrictions on movement and insecurity on major supply routes.
According to the statement, these conditions “are paralyzing humanitarian operations and shutting down essential services, putting the civilian population, including humanitarian workers, in grave danger.”
Attacks on health services
Since late December, at least 11 health facilities have been attacked in Jonglei State alone, disrupting critical services for communities already facing dire circumstances. The attacks have also resulted in the seizure of 12 vehicles, including an ambulance.
“In the last week alone,” the statement notes, “there have been repeated attacks against a convoy of World Food Program (WFP), an airstrike against a hospital run by the major NGO Doctors Without Borders and the burning of a local Save the Children office and the destruction of its health center.”
The Secretary-General stated that “this blatant disregard for medical and humanitarian operations is unacceptable and must stop,” and stressed that such work “must be facilitated and respected.”
The violence has caused mass displacements: more than 370.000 people have reportedly been forced to leave their homes so far this year, including more than 280.000 in Jonglei State, amid a rapidly worsening cholera outbreak.
South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, gained independence from Khartoum in 2011, but soon descended into a brutal civil conflict marked by political rivalry, ethnic violence, and repeated failures of peace agreements.
The fighting must end “immediately and decisively”
Despite the 2018 agreement, insecurity and localized fighting have continued to undermine stability and recovery.
The UN Secretary-General called on all parties to “immediately and decisively halt all military operations”, reduce tensions through dialogue, respect international law, protect civilians and ensure safe and sustained humanitarian access, including the safety of humanitarian workers and UN peacekeepers.