Two Ethiopian UN Peacekeepers Killed in Ambush in South Sudan
Two United Nations peacekeepers have been reported killed after their routine patrol was ambushed by an unidentified armed group in Jonglei State, South Sudan. The deadly incident has drawn sharp condemnation from international authorities amid an increasingly unstable security situation in the region.
The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) confirmed that the attack occurred while personnel were travelling towards Pajut. According to an official UNMISS statement released via X on Monday (24/8), the ambush resulted in fatalities and injuries among both peacekeepers and support staff.
The officers killed in the line of duty were confirmed to be from Ethiopia. In addition to the two fatalities, the attack left seven others wounded.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated at a press conference that the attack appeared to have been deliberately targeted at the UN convoy. “This was part of a routine patrol carried out by the UN to help address the still-unstable security situation in the region,” Dujarric said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack and urged the authorities to promptly identify the perpetrators. The UN is currently working to gather further information about those behind the ambush in Jonglei.
The situation in the area is complicated by the broader conflict in neighbouring Sudan, which has been gripped by fierce fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese armed forces since spring 2023. Although the Sudanese military reportedly succeeded in recapturing the capital Khartoum in 2025, rebel groups have intensified attacks in the southern and western regions, including Darfur and Kordofan.
In April 2025, rebel groups even announced the formation of their own government in the territories they control. The tensions continue to fuel mutual accusations between the two sides regarding the killing of civilians and disruptions to international humanitarian missions in the border areas between Sudan and South Sudan.