Two UN peacekeepers killed in ambush near Pajut in South Sudan
Two United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in an ambush in South Sudan, according to the UN mission in the country. The attack took place as a patrol travelled toward Pajut in Jonglei state, an area that has seen repeated insecurity amid wider political and military tensions. The mission said armed men carried out the ambush on Monday.
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Three other peacekeepers were wounded in the attack, along with two South Sudanese police officers and two civilian staff attached to the mission. The identities and nationalities of those killed have not yet been disclosed. The UN mission said it deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and support the emergency response.
Anita Kiki Gbeho, who heads the mission, said deadly violence targeting UN personnel serving to support peace in South Sudan was unacceptable. The attack is notable because violence against peacekeepers is described as rare, even as attacks on humanitarian workers have risen sharply this year. UN figures cited by the mission show more than 450 attacks on humanitarian workers and assets between January and July, more than double the total for the same period last year.
The ambush comes against a backdrop of mounting concern that South Sudan could slide back into full-scale civil war. The country has been under strain for months from fighting between government troops and forces loyal to opposition leader Riek Machar. Machar, a former vice president, is under house arrest and facing treason charges that he says are politically motivated.
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The current tensions are rooted in the collapse of the 2018 power-sharing agreement between Machar and President Salva Kiir, a deal intended to prevent a return to nationwide war. Fighting escalated in December when opposition forces seized government outposts in Jonglei, prompting government air strikes and ground assaults. Despite that, the government says it remains committed to the agreement, while external actors have continued to urge dialogue.
What remains unclear is who carried out the ambush and whether the wounded will recover. It is also not yet known whether the attack will trigger a broader security response in Jonglei state or affect UN patrols in the area. The mission's immediate focus appears to be securing the site and assessing the situation as concern grows over the wider conflict trajectory.
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