Opposition forces have retaken the strategic town of Akobo in South Sudan’s Jonglei State, ousting government troops after heavy fighting.
Both government and opposition have issued evacuation orders, displacing hundreds of thousands and severely restricting humanitarian aid access in conflict zones.
The UN has warned of worsening humanitarian conditions, with rights groups citing possible war crimes and urging all parties to protect civilians.
Is South Sudan on the brink of full-scale civil war, despite international efforts?
How does Sudan's civil war intensify South Sudan's humanitarian and security crisis?
Are global powers inadvertently fueling South Sudan's conflict by cutting peacekeeping funds?
How will UNMISS budget cuts impact civilian protection and aid delivery in crisis zones?
What happens to millions displaced when aid is obstructed and famine looms?
Can accountability for war crimes break South Sudan's cycle of violence and impunity?
South Sudan’s 2026 Crisis: SPLA-IO Takes Akobo, Over 270,000 Displaced, Health System Collapses
Overview
In early April 2026, the SPLA-IO recaptured the strategic town of Akobo from government forces, gaining military equipment and a key logistical foothold in the Upper Nile region. This followed an SSPDF evacuation order that displaced around 270,000 people, including 110,000 who fled to Ethiopia, and forced aid groups to withdraw, leaving over 100,000 without critical services. The destruction of the MSF hospital worsened a collapsing health system already strained by widespread displacement and a cholera outbreak. These events stem from the collapse of the 2018 peace agreement, political exclusion, and ethnic tensions, fueling renewed conflict and a deepening humanitarian crisis amid stalled international diplomacy and funding shortages.