(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Ambush in South Sudan kills peacekeeping troops | United Nations News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/24/ambush-in-south-sudan-kills-peacekeeping-troops)                                            (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/8/24/ambush-in-south-sudan-kills-peacekeeping-troops)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ap_6a8c941bcc3a1-1787597851.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/08/ap_6a8c941bcc3a1-1787597851.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.25927f0e.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.c7afea12.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (../../../../static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~9c0c5d0c.c65718e9.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blog-container~containers~72501995.3d2cbba2.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~pages/amp-article~pages/article-page~493df0b3.1e546aab.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.5839b1ed.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (ambush-in-south-sudan-kills-peacekeeping-troops@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News |(https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/united-nations/) United Nations   Ambush in South Sudan kills peacekeeping troops Two UN peacekeepers killed in South Sudan ambush as fears grow of the country relapsing into civil war.   Listen   Listen (2 mins)       Save       Share Ambush in South Sudan kills peacekeeping troops on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fu9dra2) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Ambush%20in%20South%20Sudan%20kills%20peacekeeping%20troops&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fu9dra2) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fu9dra2) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/u9dra2)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      (FILE - In this Sunday, June 18, 2017 file photo, peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) provide security during a visit of UNCHR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi to the U.N. Protection of Civilians camp in Bentiu, South Sudan. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick, File))   Peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) provide security during a visit by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi to a camp in Bentiu, South Sudan [File: Sam Mednick/AP]   By  AP   Published On 24 Aug 2026 24 Aug 2026    An ambush has killed two United Nations peacekeepers in South Sudan. The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said in a statement issued on Monday that armed men had ambushed a patrol as it travelled toward Pajut in Jonglei state. The attack comes as fears persist that the country risks sliding into a full-scale civil war. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/4/red-cross-urges-international-aid-as-sudan-crisis-deepens) Red Cross urges international aid as Sudan crisis deepens  list 2 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/9/south-sudan-15-years-on-still-fighting-for-peace) South Sudan, 15 years on: Still fighting for peace  list 3 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/8/us-courts-clear-way-for-deportations-of-south-sudan-myanmar-nationals) US courts clear way for deportations of South Sudan, Myanmar nationals   end of list  The identities and nationalities of those killed have not yet been disclosed. Three other peacekeepers were wounded, along with two South Sudanese police officers and two civilian staff attached to the mission. The UN peacekeeping mission said it deployed a “Quick Reaction Force” to secure the area and support the emergency response. “Such deadly violence targeting UNMISS personnel, who are serving to support peace in South Sudan, is unacceptable,” Anita Kiki Gbeho, the head of the mission, said. Escalating conflict Numerous attacks on humanitarian workers have been recorded this year as the prospect of full-blown civil war rises, but violence against peacekeepers is rare. 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, surpassing the 31 killed across 2025. The violence is playing out against months of grinding conflict between government troops and forces loyal to opposition leader Riek Machar. Once vice president, Machar was suspended from the post last year and now sits under house arrest, facing treason charges he says are politically motivated. Advertisement    His 2018 power-sharing agreement with President Salva Kiir has fallen apart, and South Sudan now finds itself edging toward a full civil war – a situation the deal was struck eight years ago to avoid. Fighting escalated in December, when opposition forces seized government outposts in Jonglei. The government has hit back with air strikes and ground assaults, even as it insists it remains committed to the 2018 accord. The United States, for its part, 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 through an immediate return to dialogue among the parties to the 2018 peace agreement.”            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss       (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network