World Conflicts
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South Sudan conflict (SSPDF-SPLA-IO)

Active High intensity Intrastate Africa 3 Mar 2025 to present

Renewed fighting between government forces and the SPLA-IO, allied White Army fighters and other opposition groups, triggered by the March 2025 Nasir clashes and the detention of First Vice-President Riek Machar. A government offensive in Jonglei in early 2026 displaced about 180,000 people. Machar's treason trial continues; elections are scheduled for December 2026.

Conflict zones

Click a shape for details and sources

Zones, lines of contact and strike arcs are approximate and illustrative, drawn from public reporting. They are not authoritative; click a shape for its sources. Borders from Natural Earth, with Crimea shown as part of Ukraine in line with UN General Assembly resolution 68/262.

Key facts

Civilians killed, Jan-Mar 2026
767 (up 89% on prior quarter)
Security Council Report, South Sudan August 2026 Monthly Forecast as of 1 Aug 2026
People needing food assistance (Jun-Sep 2026)
Nearly 9 million
Security Council Report, South Sudan August 2026 Monthly Forecast as of 1 Aug 2026
Scheduled general elections
22 December 2026
Security Council Report, South Sudan August 2026 Monthly Forecast as of 1 Aug 2026
SSPDF soldiers killed at Nasir (prosecution allegation)
257
Radio Tamazuj as of 25 Sep 2026
UNMISS mandate
Renewed to 30 April 2027
Security Council Report, South Sudan August 2026 Monthly Forecast as of 1 Aug 2026
Reported fatalities, last 4 weeks (ACLED)
367
ACLED aggregated data, up to week of 24 Oct 2026 as of 24 Oct 2026
Deaths in 2026, 2 Jan to 4 Sep 2026 (UCDP)
555 best estimate (543–641)
UCDP GED Candidate 26.0.9 as of 4 Sep 2026

Human cost

Fatalities
1.9K
Killed in 2026 so far (UCDP)
555
People displaced
Newly displaced, 2026 Jonglei fighting
180K
  • 180,000 reportedSudans Post (citing OCHA) as of 19 Jan 2026Newly displaced in Jonglei (Nyirol, Uror, Akobo, Duk) by SSPDF/SPLA-IO fighting and airstrikes
IDPs, all causes
1.9M
All forcibly displaced, country-wide (UNHCR)
3.8M
Recorded events, last 30 days
78

Parties and actors

  • South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) State armed forces · aligned with Government (President Salva Kiir)
  • Sudan People's Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) Non-state armed group (armed wing of opposition party) · aligned with Opposition
  • White Army Non-state armed group (Nuer community militia) · aligned with Opposition-aligned
  • National Salvation Front (NAS) Non-state armed group · aligned with Opposition

Parties are listed factually by name and role. Inclusion does not imply any judgement.

Negotiations

Negotiations hub
Revitalised Peace Agreement (R-ARCSS) implementation Stalled
Parties
Government of South Sudan, SPLM-IO
Mediators
African Union (C5), IGAD / RJMEC
Last development
2 Jul 2026

The 2018 peace deal is largely unimplemented while SPLM-IO leaders remain detained. An AU high-level delegation visited Juba in July 2026 and the monitoring commission urged renewed political will.

Security Council Report as of 1 Aug 2026

Trend: events and reported fatalities by month

Events per month Reported fatalities per month
0 0 63 250 125 500 188 750 250 1KNov 2021: 116 events, 263 reported fatalitiesDec 2021: 133 events, 286 reported fatalitiesJan 2022: 145 events, 209 reported fatalities2022Feb 2022: 166 events, 288 reported fatalitiesMar 2022: 145 events, 300 reported fatalitiesApr 2022: 181 events, 500 reported fatalitiesMay 2022: 123 events, 268 reported fatalitiesJun 2022: 87 events, 426 reported fatalitiesJul 2022: 105 events, 309 reported fatalitiesAug 2022: 106 events, 170 reported fatalitiesSep 2022: 102 events, 103 reported fatalitiesOct 2022: 159 events, 204 reported fatalitiesNov 2022: 181 events, 438 reported fatalitiesDec 2022: 229 events, 670 reported fatalitiesJan 2023: 188 events, 575 reported fatalities2023Feb 2023: 147 events, 361 reported fatalitiesMar 2023: 105 events, 200 reported fatalitiesApr 2023: 151 events, 358 reported fatalitiesMay 2023: 100 events, 133 reported fatalitiesJun 2023: 95 events, 197 reported fatalitiesJul 2023: 114 events, 187 reported fatalitiesAug 2023: 96 events, 129 reported fatalitiesSep 2023: 105 events, 155 reported fatalitiesOct 2023: 115 events, 227 reported fatalitiesNov 2023: 106 events, 231 reported fatalitiesDec 2023: 95 events, 151 reported fatalitiesJan 2024: 85 events, 198 reported fatalities2024Feb 2024: 116 events, 208 reported fatalitiesMar 2024: 100 events, 241 reported fatalitiesApr 2024: 110 events, 209 reported fatalitiesMay 2024: 96 events, 170 reported fatalitiesJun 2024: 139 events, 196 reported fatalitiesJul 2024: 92 events, 167 reported fatalitiesAug 2024: 120 events, 250 reported fatalitiesSep 2024: 68 events, 147 reported fatalitiesOct 2024: 65 events, 177 reported fatalitiesNov 2024: 113 events, 151 reported fatalitiesDec 2024: 100 events, 162 reported fatalitiesJan 2025: 118 events, 224 reported fatalities2025Feb 2025: 108 events, 209 reported fatalitiesMar 2025: 179 events, 467 reported fatalitiesApr 2025: 148 events, 319 reported fatalitiesMay 2025: 229 events, 393 reported fatalitiesJun 2025: 167 events, 208 reported fatalitiesJul 2025: 141 events, 247 reported fatalitiesAug 2025: 164 events, 241 reported fatalitiesSep 2025: 132 events, 310 reported fatalitiesOct 2025: 100 events, 115 reported fatalitiesNov 2025: 137 events, 254 reported fatalitiesDec 2025: 87 events, 241 reported fatalitiesJan 2026: 149 events, 375 reported fatalities2026Feb 2026: 127 events, 665 reported fatalitiesMar 2026: 109 events, 323 reported fatalitiesApr 2026: 91 events, 234 reported fatalitiesMay 2026: 102 events, 233 reported fatalitiesJun 2026: 84 events, 128 reported fatalitiesJul 2026: 86 events, 348 reported fatalitiesAug 2026: 111 events, 368 reported fatalitiesSep 2026: 54 events, 145 reported fatalitiesOct 2026: 78 events, 367 reported fatalities
reportedACLED aggregated data, up to week of 24 Oct 2026 as of 24 Oct 2026 Political violence events only (battles, explosions/remote violence, violence against civilians).
Show data table
MonthEventsFatalities
Oct 202678367
Sep 202654145
Aug 2026111368
Jul 202686348
Jun 202684128
May 2026102233
Apr 202691234
Mar 2026109323
Feb 2026127665
Jan 2026149375
Dec 202587241
Nov 2025137254
Oct 2025100115
Sep 2025132310
Aug 2025164241
Jul 2025141247
Jun 2025167208
May 2025229393
Apr 2025148319
Mar 2025179467
Feb 2025108209
Jan 2025118224
Dec 2024100162
Nov 2024113151
Oct 202465177
Sep 202468147
Aug 2024120250
Jul 202492167
Jun 2024139196
May 202496170
Apr 2024110209
Mar 2024100241
Feb 2024116208
Jan 202485198
Dec 202395151
Nov 2023106231
Oct 2023115227
Sep 2023105155
Aug 202396129
Jul 2023114187
Jun 202395197
May 2023100133
Apr 2023151358
Mar 2023105200
Feb 2023147361
Jan 2023188575
Dec 2022229670
Nov 2022181438
Oct 2022159204
Sep 2022102103
Aug 2022106170
Jul 2022105309
Jun 202287426
May 2022123268
Apr 2022181500
Mar 2022145300
Feb 2022166288
Jan 2022145209
Dec 2021133286
Nov 2021116263

Events by type

Battles Explosions / remote violence Violence against civilians
0 63 125 188 250 20222023202420252026
reportedACLED aggregated data, up to week of 24 Oct 2026 as of 24 Oct 2026

Most affected provinces

  1. Jonglei 327 events · 1,005 fatalities
  2. Central Equatoria 172 events · 318 fatalities
  3. Unity 132 events · 517 fatalities
  4. Warrap 130 events · 693 fatalities
  5. Eastern Equatoria 128 events · 181 fatalities
  6. Upper Nile 122 events · 519 fatalities
  7. Lakes 89 events · 262 fatalities
  8. Western Equatoria 85 events · 108 fatalities
reportedACLED aggregated data, up to week of 24 Oct 2026 as of 24 Oct 2026 Last 12 months, political violence events.

Sources and further reading

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