2 UN peacekeepers killed in South Sudan ambush: UN

Deadly ambush on UN patrol

Two United Nations peacekeepers were killed in an ambush in South Sudan's Jonglei state on Monday, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said in a statement. Seven others were injured when unidentified armed men attacked the patrol as it traveled to the town of Pajut. The wounded included three peacekeepers, two South Sudan National Police Service personnel, and two civilian staff.

UNMISS said it deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and support the emergency response. The mission called for a prompt investigation and said attacks on UN peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.

Anita Kiki Gbeho, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS, condemned the attack. "Such deadly violence targeting UNMISS personnel who are serving to support peace in South Sudan is unacceptable," she said, extending condolences to the families of those killed and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Fatalities and context

According to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the two peacekeepers killed were from Ethiopia. The killings bring the number of peacekeepers killed by militias since January 1 to nine, Dujarric said.

Attacks on UN personnel are rare but not unprecedented in South Sudan, where UNMISS patrols operate in volatile areas affected by intercommunal fighting, armed youth mobilizations, and clashes involving government forces.

Rising violence and political tensions

The attack comes amid escalating conflict in South Sudan. UN figures show more than 450 attacks on humanitarian workers and assets were reported between January and July, more than double the number recorded during the same period last year. At least 36 humanitarian workers and contractors were killed, surpassing the 31 killed across 2025, according to one report.

The violence is playing out against months of grinding conflict between government troops and forces loyal to opposition leader Riek Machar, who was suspended as vice president last year and is now under house arrest facing treason charges he says are politically motivated. His 2018 power-sharing agreement with President Salva Kiir has fallen apart, and the conflict escalated in December when opposition forces seized government outposts in Jonglei.

Background and outlook

South Sudan gained independence in 2011 but soon fell into civil war. A power-sharing deal ended the war in 2018 but has been falling apart, even as the government attempts to hold the country's first elections in December.

Jonglei state, in the east of the country, has been a focus of recent conflict between the government and opposition forces. The US has urged talks between Kiir and Machar, according to reports.

The attack highlights the fragile security situation in South Sudan and the risks faced by peacekeepers and humanitarian workers operating in the region.