UN Mission in South Sudan Defies Government Evacuation Order for Akobo Base
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) announced on Monday its firm refusal to comply with a directive from the South Sudanese government to shut down its operational base in Akobo. This critical town, situated near the Ethiopian border, serves as a stronghold for opposition forces and currently shelters tens of thousands of displaced refugees fleeing ongoing conflict.
Standoff Over Protective Presence
On Friday, the South Sudanese army issued a sweeping order, mandating that UN peacekeepers, alongside non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civilians, must vacate Akobo ahead of a planned military offensive. In a decisive response, the UN mission declared it would not leave its post. It emphasized its commitment to providing "a protective presence for civilians" within the town and insisted that the safety and security of its personnel "must be fully respected at all times."
UNMISS stated it is engaging "intensively with national, state and local stakeholders" concerning this evacuation directive. Mission chief Anita Kiki Gbeho issued a stark warning, noting that "Any military operations in and around Akobo gravely endanger the safety and security of civilians."
Background of Escalating Conflict
The current crisis stems from the breakdown of a 2018 peace agreement approximately one year ago, reigniting hostilities between the South Sudanese government and opposition factions. The conflict saw a dramatic escalation in December 2025 when opposition forces seized several government outposts in northern Jonglei state. A government counter-offensive a month later successfully repelled these forces but resulted in the displacement of over 280,000 people.
Many of these displaced individuals have sought refuge in Akobo, where a small contingent of UN peacekeepers is stationed. The looming government assault on the town has triggered a humanitarian emergency.
Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds
In anticipation of the military action, humanitarian workers were evacuated from Akobo over the weekend, and a mass exodus of the local population has commenced. Local officials reported to The Associated Press that fleeing civilians are confronting extreme danger and widespread shortages of essential supplies.
Dual Diew, the Akobo County health director who has fled to Ethiopia, revealed that the local hospital was treating 84 wounded patients. "We have most of them with us here now," he said, highlighting a critical lack of medicine and basic nursing equipment.
Christophe Garnier, the head of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in South Sudan, confirmed that the organization was forced to evacuate its staff from Akobo on Saturday. Subsequently, they learned their hospital had been looted and their office ransacked. Garnier expressed grave concern, stating, "People in Akobo must now either flee without protection or remain at risk of being killed, while losing access to healthcare and other essential services."
International Diplomatic Pressure
The three Western nations that have been instrumental in the South Sudanese peace process—the United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway—sent a joint letter to President Salva Kiir on Monday. The letter urgently called for the revocation of the army's evacuation order. It warned that proceeding with the offensive on Akobo would lead to "further deaths, displacement and suffering for the South Sudanese people." This international intervention underscores the severe regional and global implications of the escalating violence and the UN's defiant stance to protect civilians caught in the crossfire.
