South Sudan: Conflict in Jonglei State - Flash Update No.10, as of 26 February 2026

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (USG/ERC), Tom Fletcher, concluded his visit to South Sudan on 24 February.
• During a meeting on 23 February, President Salva Kiir Mayardit assured the USG/ERC, Tom Fletcher, of the Government’s commitment to ensuring unhindered access to all affected areas nationwide.
• On 21 February, 25 people, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed in Pankor Village, Pajiek Payam, Ayod County.
• As of 20 February, between 226,000-280,000 people have been displaced across Jonglei, according to data from the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission and the IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Fighting between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-iO) forces in several locations of Jonglei State has intensified since 29 December 2025, triggering repeated waves of displacement forcing civilians to flee into the bush and move between temporary settlements in search of safety. In addition to being displaced from their homes, civilians have suffered significant injuries. On 23 February, armed clashes were reported between SSPDF and SPLA‑iO in Walgak, Akobo County, heightening fears among the local community of a potential renewed assault. As a result, some residents reportedly fled towards Canal/Pigi County seeking safety. In Nyirol County, intermittent clashes have triggered further displacement in Nyambor and Chuil villages. Many IDPs from these locations have moved towards Ulang County in Upper Nile State.

On 24 February, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (USG/ERC), Tom Fletcher, concluded a 5-day mission to South Sudan to bring international attention to the acute humanitarian situation in the country. During the mission, the ERC met with affected communities, donors, humanitarian partners, religious leaders, and Government authorities at national and sub-national levels, including President Salva Kir Mayardit and Vice President Mama Rebecca Nyandeng. The ERC advocated for peace, unfettered humanitarian access, and protection of civilians and aid workers. He also engaged with NGO representatives and religious leaders, who called for peace, accountability, and urged the Government to do more. The ERC visited Malakal in Upper Nile and Akobo in Jonglei, where he met and interacted with conflict-affected communities. During visits to Akobo and other sites, he highlighted a “perfect storm” of climate shocks, conflict, and deprivation.

HUMANITARIAN IMPACT AND NEEDS

• Displacement: Current verified displacement figures range between 226,000–280,000 people across Jonglei, while IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix verified 226,156 displaced as of 20 February. The Relief and Rehabilitation Commission sources estimate 280,000 displaced across eight counties in Jonglei, with secondary displacement into Upper Nile and Lakes states. Of those, an estimated 105,400 people are in Uror, 57,200 in Nyirol, 136,000 in Akobo (in the 7 payams), 17,700 in Duk, 17,000 in Ayod, 10,000 in Canal/Pigi, 5,000 in Twic East, and 4,300 in Bor South. In addition, 29,500 people have been registered in Mingkaman (Awerial County, Lakes State), and approximately 12,000 people have arrived in Ulang County, Upper Nile State, from Nyirol, placing severe strain on host communities and basic services.
• From 11–14 February, an Initial Rapid Needs Assessment was conducted in Payuel (Poktap), Padiet, and Kongor Payams in Duk and Twic East counties. The team reported increasing cholera cases and deaths among displaced people in Duk County, driven by overcrowding, poor sanitation, and limited clean water. Diarrheal diseases, respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, and malaria are also rising due to inadequate mosquito net coverage. Displaced and host communities are experiencing severe food insecurity and have resorted to negative coping strategies, including consuming unsafe wild foods. Screening of 243 children aged 6–59 months (121 boys, 122 girls) found a proxy Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 24.3 per cent, well above the 15 per cent emergency threshold, including 17.7 per cent Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and 6.6 per cent Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Many caregivers, mostly youth, face physical and psychological stress, reducing their ability to care for children. Most health and nutrition facilities have been out of stock since December 2025 and remain non-functional, except for one facility in Padiet.
• The assessment team further reported that education services are non-functional across assessed areas. Although schools formally reopened on 2 February, no teachers were present, and no students attended. Ongoing disruption increases risks of child labour, exploitation, and recruitment into armed groups.
• On 18 February, the Nutrition Cluster reported widespread destruction and suspension of health services due to ongoing fighting. In Ayod County, 2 of 18 health facilities have been destroyed. In Nyirol County, 13 of 16 facilities have also been destroyed. In Duk County, four facilities were looted and two destroyed. In Akobo County, 13 of 25 facilities have suspended services following the looting of five humanitarian vehicles.
• On 21 February, 25 people, mostly women and children, were reportedly killed in Pankor Village, Pajiek Payam, Ayod County. Authorities had earlier urged civilians who had fled to return, assuring them of protection and food assistance. The injured were taken to the Ayod health facility for treatment. Reports indicate that several armed men arrived in pickup trucks and used a loudspeaker to claim they were registering residents for food aid.
• Protection risks: Civilians continue to face severe protection threats, with reports of killings, abductions, family separation, gender‑based violence, and children injured by explosions. On 22 February, an unexploded ordnance detonated in Juet Boma, Yuai Payam, Uror County, killing a ten‑year‑old boy and injuring a 12‑year‑old boy. The injured child was transported to a health facility in Yuai; however, treatment could not be provided due to a shortage of medical supplies. Aid workers have also been affected, with at least three killed between 7–16 February in Jonglei and Upper Nile States.
• Cholera outbreak: Counties in Jonglei State, including Duk and Ayod, continue to report new infections. Between 18 – 24 February, 21 new cases, including two deaths, were recorded from two conflict-affected Duk (16) and Ayod (5) counties in Jonglei State, with an elevated Case Fatality Rate of 2.1 per cent. Both deaths occurred in Ayod. Since the start of the outbreak (28 September 2024 to 24 February 2026), a cumulative total of 98,995 cases and 1,628 deaths have been reported across 55 counties in nine states and all three administrative areas. Limited access due to ongoing conflict is a major challenge to scaling up the response.

HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE AND CHALLENGES

• High-level United Nations engagement: On 23 February, President Salva Kiir Mayardit met with the USG/|ERC, Tom Fletcher, and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensuring unhindered humanitarian access to affected areas nationwide. The ERC welcomed the assurance as critical to reaching conflict- and flood-affected communities. The President tasked the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to strengthen coordination with UN agencies and humanitarian partners. The ERC’s visit aimed to mobilize sustained international attention and support as humanitarian needs continue to escalate.
• Scale-up of life-saving assistance: Despite ongoing access challenges, partners are expanding emergency response across affected counties. On 24 February, UNICEF delivered emergency health kits, cholera treatment supplies and risk communication materials to Duk County, along with 200 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and stabilization supplies to Akobo County to treat acute malnutrition. Across Jonglei, approximately 1,200 dignity kits were distributed to women and adolescent girls. GBV partners have increased mobile service delivery, while child protection teams are identifying and registering unaccompanied and separated children, conducting family tracing and reunification, monitoring grave child rights violations, and providing mobile psychosocial support. Additional case workers are being recruited to strengthen case management and referral pathways. Further WASH, nutrition, education and child protection supplies are being dispatched to Nyirol, Uror, Ayod, Duk and Akobo in the coming days.
• WASH response intensifies in Duk and beyond: On 25 February, Medair distributed WASH kits to nearly 6,000 displaced people (1,000 households) in Poktap Payam, Duk County, while borehole rehabilitation, hygiene promotion and emergency latrine construction continue in several locations. The Norwegian Refugee Council conducted hygiene promotion in Padiet and Ayueldit payams in response to the cholera outbreak and registered more than 3,300 individuals for upcoming WASH NFI distributions. Sanitation interventions include construction of 20 emergency latrine stances and registration of sanitation kits for 200 households with persons with specific needs. The Emergency Rapid Response Mechanism deployed to Puluk Payam in Awerial County, providing WASH kits to more than 7,400 displaced people.
• Coordinated inter-cluster response: On 26 February, the Inter-Cluster Coordination Group in Bor confirmed that food assistance, WASH NFIs, and health and nutrition services are ongoing for displaced people and host communities in Duk and Twic East counties. National NGOs CINA and HDC are addressing protection concerns. IOM’s Shelter and NFI team has arrived in Bor and is preparing to deploy to Duk. A multi-sectoral assessment and response mission covering Nyirol, Ayod, Uror and Akobo counties is planned from 4 to 23 March to verify needs and scale up assistance.

FUNDING

• The United States Government has allocated US$100 million through the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SSHF) Reserve Allocation to deliver rapid, life-saving assistance to 1.3 million people facing the most severe needs (severity levels 4 and 5 under the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan). The funding targets internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and vulnerable host communities across 18 priority counties in Upper Nile, Unity, Jonglei, Warrap, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Eastern Equatoria and the Abyei Administrative Area. Assistance will address severe acute malnutrition, protection risks, and critical gaps in basic services, and includes support to UNHAS to sustain humanitarian access. The allocation launches on 27 February.