Important Facts of the News
- Over 445,000 people displaced in South Sudan due to armed conflict in 2025.
- Conflict affects seven out of ten states, including Upper Nile, Jonglei, Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria, and Western Bahr el Ghazal.
- Over 900,000 people impacted by conflict and climate-related disasters, including 300,000 displaced.
- ICRC and South Sudan Red Cross assisted 196,000 displaced people and returnees from Sudan since January 2025.
- 107,724 displaced people and returnees received food, cash, and essential household items.
- 88,225 farming and herding families supported with seeds, cassava cuttings, tools, and livestock care.
- 3,541 surgeries performed on weapon-wounded patients in Akobo Hospital, Juba Military Hospital, and Renk.
- Nearly 95,000 people provided improved access to clean water.
- 3,500 persons with disabilities received physical rehabilitation services.
- 5,894 people offered mental health and psychosocial support sessions.
- 3,912 individuals trained in first aid, including health workers, volunteers, and community members.
- 18,526 successful phone calls facilitated to reconnect displaced people with their families.
- 5,376 detainees visited to improve treatment and living conditions.
- 5,547 community members engaged to promote respect for health services.
- 1,200 households in Kuajok, Warrap State received essential household items in September 2025.
Displacement and Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan
Throughout 2025, armed conflicts in South Sudan have intensified, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes multiple times. Regions most affected include Upper Nile, Jonglei, Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria, and Western Bahr el Ghazal. The combination of inter-communal violence and ongoing warfare has left communities struggling to recover. Florence Gillette, Head of Delegation for ICRC in South Sudan, emphasized that this cycle of violence must end to allow communities to rebuild.
Stories of Displacement and Struggle
Grace Wani, a mother of four currently displaced in Yambio, Western Equatoria, described walking for days without food while her youngest child fell ill. Similarly, returnees from Sudan, like Achol Marial, faced hunger and uncertainty upon reaching Kuajok in Warrap State before receiving aid from ICRC and South Sudan Red Cross in September 2025.
ICRC and South Sudan Red Cross Assistance
Since the beginning of 2025, ICRC and SSRC have delivered critical support to 196,000 displaced people and returnees. Their interventions focused on life-saving aid including food, cash, emergency agricultural inputs, livestock support, and essential household items. Key achievements include:
- Providing food, cash, and household items to 107,724 people in the hardest-hit areas.
- Supporting 88,225 farming and herding families with seeds, tools, and livestock care.
- Conducting 3,541 surgeries for weapon-wounded patients in key hospitals.
- Enhancing access to clean water for nearly 95,000 people.
- Delivering physical rehabilitation to 3,500 persons with disabilities.
- Offering mental health support to 5,894 individuals coping with trauma.
- Training 3,912 people in first aid, including volunteers and community members.
- Facilitating 18,526 phone calls to reconnect displaced families.
- Visiting 5,376 detainees to improve conditions.
- Engaging 5,547 community members to reinforce respect for health services.
Challenges Ahead
Despite ongoing assistance, displaced populations continue to face extreme hardships. Ms. Gillette highlighted the urgent need for all parties to protect civilians, farmland, water installations, healthcare facilities, schools, and markets. Without such protection, life for displaced South Sudanese remains precarious, and communities will struggle to recover from years of crises exacerbated by floods and regional conflicts.