Two United Nations peacekeepers have been killed and seven other people injured after unidentified gunmen ambushed a patrol in South Sudan’s Jonglei state.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said the patrol was travelling towards Pajut on Monday when it came under attack.
The two peacekeepers killed were Ethiopian nationals, while those injured included three other peacekeepers, two South Sudanese police officers and two civilian UN staff members.
UNMISS deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and assist with the emergency response following the attack.
Anita Kiki Gbeho, the head of UNMISS, condemned the killings and called for a prompt investigation, warning that attacks targeting UN peacekeepers could constitute war crimes under international law.
The attack comes amid worsening insecurity in South Sudan and growing fears that the country could return to full-scale civil war.
More than 450 incidents targeting humanitarian workers and assets were recorded between January and July this year, more than double the number reported during the same period in 2025. At least 36 humanitarian workers and contractors have also been killed this year.
Political tensions have intensified following the collapse of a 2018 power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar.
Machar, who previously served as vice president, was suspended from office last year and remains under house arrest while facing treason charges that he says are politically motivated.
Fighting between government forces and armed groups aligned with Machar has escalated in recent months, particularly in Jonglei state.
The latest phase of the conflict intensified in December when opposition fighters seized several government positions in the state. Government forces have since responded with ground operations and aerial bombardments as they attempt to regain territory.
Despite the renewed fighting, the government maintains that it remains committed to the 2018 peace agreement.
The United States and other international actors have repeatedly urged Kiir and Machar to return to dialogue, warning that continued violence risks plunging South Sudan back into a devastating civil war.
