Deadly attacks on aid workers and contractors surge in South Sudan as UN urges protection

JUBA, South Sudan - A grim toll of 36 humanitarian workers and contractors has been added to the list of fatalities in South Sudan since January, a grim figure that now tops the 31 deaths recorded throughout all of 2025, according to the U.N. humanitarian coordinator in the country. As the U.N. marks World Humanitarian Day on Wednesday, coordinator Ramanathan Balakrishnan emphasized that these deaths are more than mere figures; each loss demands an investigation and accountability for the perpetrators.

Balakrishnan lamented, "The continued loss of humanitarian personnel, overwhelmingly South Sudanese nationals, is unacceptable."

Violence against aid workers and their assets has surged, with over 450 incidents reported between January and July - a staggering rise of more than double compared to the same period last year, as per data from the U.N. Mission in South Sudan. This escalating conflict has compelled many aid organizations to evacuate from certain regions, thereby limiting their reach to the most vulnerable communities in a nation of approximately 12 million people, which has been grappling with both internal strife and the impacts of climate change since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.

Appeals for protection of humanitarian workers are mounting from both humanitarian organizations and the U.N. Mission in South Sudan. They urge the South Sudan government and all parties to the 2018 peace agreement, aimed at ending the civil war, to safeguard aid workers, conduct thorough investigations into any attacks, and ensure unimpeded access to those in dire need.

With around 10 million individuals anticipated to require humanitarian aid this year, including more than 7.5 million already facing extreme levels of acute food insecurity, the situation remains dire.

Furthermore, the U.N. refugee agency and the World Food Program recently warned that over 650,000 refugees and asylum seekers in South Sudan could lose access to crucial food, nutrition, and other life-sustaining assistance due to significant funding shortfalls.