Two UN peacekeepers killed in attack in South Sudan
Two Ethiopian UN peacekeepers have been killed in an attack carried out by unknown perpetrators on a patrol in South Sudan, the United Nations said on Monday.
Another three peacekeepers, as well as two South Sudanese police officers and two civilian UN workers were injured in the "ambush," the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said.
UN Secretary General António Guterres strongly condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the people and government of Ethiopia.
Some 12,000 soldiers, police officers and civilians are currently deployed in South Sudan as part of the peacekeeping mission to help stabilize the country of some 12 million.
Since the country gained independence from Sudan in 2011, life in South Sudan has been marred by power struggles and violence. Some 400,000 people are believed to have been killed in the civil war that raged from 2013 to 2018.
The security situation has deteriorated again since 2025, with the UN warning that South Sudan risks sliding back into large-scale conflict.
The UN patrol had been travelling to Pajut in Jonglei state when it was ambushed "by unidentified armed individuals," UNMISS said.
The mission has deployed a rapid response unit to secure the area and support emergency measures, it said.
UNMISS noted that "attacks against UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law, including international humanitarian law."
Mission head Anita Kiki Gbeho called on the authorities "to conduct a thorough and prompt investigation to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice."
