South Sudan Displacement Crisis Worsens as 280,000 People Flee Fresh Fighting
Juba, 19 February 2026
Nearly 280,000 people have been displaced since December 2025 as fresh conflict erupts between government and opposition forces in South Sudan’s Jonglei state. Displaced families report having ‘no food’ at informal camps, with over half being children facing acute malnutrition risks. The crisis deepens as hospitals overflow with gunshot victims and healthcare facilities face attacks.
Civilians Caught in Crossfire as Violence Escalates
The latest round of fighting between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-iO) has created a humanitarian catastrophe across multiple counties [1]. As of 17 February 2026, the security situation in northern and central Jonglei State remains volatile, with intermittent clashes reported between the opposing forces [2]. The violence has spread across Uror, Nyirol, Akobo, Duk, Ayod, Canal/Pigi, Twic East and Bor South counties, forcing secondary displacement into Upper Nile and Lakes states [2]. Civilians describe harrowing escapes from the violence. ‘When they arrived, they started shooting everyone in the area - elder, child, and mother,’ recounted Nyayual, a grandmother who fled the fighting [1][3]. The targeting of non-combatants appears systematic, with shelling reportedly striking a civilian residential area in Phom Payam, Fangak County on 14 February 2026, resulting in damage to multiple homes [2].
Healthcare System Under Attack as Medical Facilities Targeted
The conflict has devastated South Sudan’s already fragile healthcare infrastructure, with at least 16 health facilities attacked or looted since late December 2025 - 13 in Jonglei, one in Central Equatoria, and two in Unity State [2]. This systematic targeting of medical facilities significantly constrains access to essential health services for displaced populations [2]. The scale of medical emergencies is overwhelming remaining facilities. In Akobo, more than 40 young men were being treated for gunshot wounds during recent visits, whilst an 18-month-old boy was wounded and orphaned after an attack [1][3]. David Tor, acting director of Bor hospital, warned of critical shortages: ‘Because of the increase in the number of people who need services, we have run out of almost everything. At a certain point we may lose patients’ [1][3]. The targeting of healthcare extends beyond the current crisis - in May 2025, the only healthcare facility in Fangak serving over 100,000 people, run by Médecins Sans Frontières, was attacked and its pharmacy and medical supplies destroyed [1][3].
Food Crisis Deepens at Displacement Sites
Displaced families are facing severe food shortages at informal camps across the region. At Yolakot informal camp on the banks of the White Nile, 6,700 people are waiting for food assistance [1]. The crisis is particularly acute for children, with UNICEF reporting that over half of those displaced are under 18 years old, and approximately 825,000 people are at risk of acute malnutrition across Jonglei, Unity, and Eastern Equatoria states [1][3]. The desperation is palpable among families who have lost everything. Nyanhiar Malneth, a displaced mother, captured the dual crisis facing families: ‘I want them to go to school for knowledge… We need something to eat’ [1][3]. In Lake State alone, 35,000 people have recently arrived at displacement camps, where the Norwegian Refugee Council has registered 2,000 children for an emergency education programme [1][3]. The broader context reveals a country where 70 percent of children are not in school according to World Bank estimates, making the educational disruption from displacement even more devastating [3].
Regional Implications and International Response Challenges
The crisis in South Sudan is unfolding against a backdrop of broader regional instability that is straining international humanitarian resources. The United Nations launched a $1.6 billion appeal on 18 February 2026 to support refugees from Sudan’s ongoing conflict, which has displaced 4.3 million people across seven countries including South Sudan [4]. Available funding per refugee has plummeted from $11 to $4 per month, creating what UNHCR’s Regional Director Mamadou Dian Balde described as ‘the world’s largest displacement and worst humanitarian crisis, unfolding in the wake of the most severe global funding crunch in decades’ [4]. South Sudan’s own political instability is compounding these challenges, with tensions rising ahead of national elections now postponed until December 2026 [5]. The country’s ranking as the most corrupt nation by Transparency International, combined with its reliance on international donors for 80-90% of healthcare funding, highlights the structural challenges facing any meaningful humanitarian response [1][3]. As the UN Human Rights Council prepares for its 61st session from 23 February to 31 March 2026, civil society organisations are urging an extension of investigations into human rights violations, warning that the country faces risks of returning to full-scale war [5].