UNMISS report: 739 civilians killed in South Sudan’s deadliest quarter since 2020

South Sudan has not known peace since it seceded from Sudan in 2011. (Photo: Samir Bol/AP/picture alliance)

By Bashir Mbuthia
Wednesday, July 2, 2025

The report shows that South Sudan recorded 1,607 victims of violence in the first quarter of 2025, including 679 injured, 149 abducted, and 40 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.

At least 739 civilians were killed in South Sudan between January and March 2025—the highest death toll recorded in any three months since 2020—according to a new report by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

According to the report, South Sudan recorded a total of 1,607 victims of violence during the first quarter of the year, including 679 people injured, 149 abducted, and 40 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

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Between October and December 2024, UNMISS recorded 866 victims, making the 1,607 figure an 86 per cent increase.

Killings more than doubled from 352 to 739 while the number of injured civilians rose from 350 to 679, a 94 per cent increase.

Abductions also rose from 129 in the last quarter of 2024 to 149 in the first three months of 2025. CRSV cases likewise increased slightly from 35 to 40 in the period.

Most affected region

According to UNMISS, Warrap State emerged as the most affected region, registering 428 deaths and 298 injuries.

Central Equatoria also recorded a sharp increase in violence, with a 260 per cent rise in the number of victims and the highest number of abductions.

The number of child victims increased significantly, rising from 114 in the previous quarter to 171 in the first quarter of 2025. Women and girls were particularly affected by CRSV and other forms of gender-based violence, making up 98 per cent of the documented victims in that category.

UNMISS has attributed 66 per cent of the violence to community-based militias or civil defence groups, while 22 per cent was linked to unidentified armed actors.

Armed groups

Conventional armed groups and other formal parties to the conflict were reportedly responsible for 15 per cent of the recorded victims, a 27 per cent increase from 152 to 193 compared to the last quarter.

UNMISS warns that the continued escalation of clashes involving these groups is severely undermining civilian protection and fueling widespread violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.

"It is the primary responsibility of the Government to protect civilians and prevent conflicts, which continue to cause immense harm to communities across the country," said Guang Cong, UNMISS Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General.

"Together with regional and international partners, UNMISS calls for concerted, collective efforts at the national, state and local levels to address the underlying causes and drivers, facilitate the resolution of grievances through dialogue and hold perpetrators accountable in order to end the deadly cycle of violence."