South Sudan: Unprecedented Violence and a Health System Under Attack

Description

Violence in South Sudan reached alarming levels in 2025, with civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict. Entire communities have been targeted—men, women, children, and older people—forcing families to flee into forests and across regions in search of safety. These attacks are not isolated incidents, but part of a wider pattern marked by killings, abductions, forced recruitment, and sexual violence. According to MSF, the level of violence witnessed in 2025 is the worst since the signing of the 2018 peace agreement. MSF teams treated an average of 16 people every day for violence‑related injuries, a 50% increase compared to the previous year. Many of those treated were victims of aerial attacks, gunshot wounds, and sexual violence. Displacement is only the first step in a longer crisis. People fleeing violence are pushed into areas where communities are already struggling, facing hunger, disease outbreaks, and a severe lack of basic services. Insecurity and access constraints continue to block humanitarian assistance at a time when needs are rapidly escalating. MSF calls on all parties to the conflict to immediately halt attacks on civilians, healthcare facilities, and humanitarian workers, and to allow safe access for aid. MSF also urges donors not to turn away as the crisis deepens. MSF will continue to provide lifesaving medical care and to bear witness to the suffering of people in South Sudan.