‘Violence against civilians in South Sudan reduced significantly in 2021’-UNMISS

Violence against civilians saw a 42 percent reduction in 2021 compared with the previous year according to a new report released by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), a press statement said.

The UNMISS Human Rights Division’s annual brief on violence affecting civilians documented 3,414 civilian victims subjected to killing, injury, abduction, and conflict-related sexual violence in 982 documented incidents. Most of the victims were men (75 percent), followed by women (14 percent) and children (11 percent). In 2020, the Mission reported 5,850 civilian victims.

"Cases of conflict-related sexual violence declined slightly from 211 in 2020 to 194 in 2021 but remained unacceptably high," the statement said. “Subnational conflict accounted for most victims in 2021. Warrap remained the state with the highest number of civilian casualties (24 percent), followed by Western Equatoria (19 percent), and Jonglei and Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) (17 percent respectively),”

According to UNMISS, many of the victims were killed or injured during attacks by armed community-based militias across Jonglei and the GPPA. In May 2021, violence surged with at least 230 killed, 120 injured, 178 abducted, and 14 women subject to conflict-related sexual violence.

“A concerning surge of fighting was also documented in Tambura, Western Equatoria, between ethnic militias who are allegedly affiliated with conventional parties to the conflict. Such violence resulted in 440 deaths, 18 injured, 74 abductions, 64 victims of sexual violence, and an estimated 80,000 people displaced,” UNMISS reported.

UNMISS said they deployed peacekeepers proactively as well as pre-emptively to conflict hotspots and conflict areas.

“The Mission established 116 temporary operating bases last year which enhanced the protection of civilians through sustained long and short distance patrols. Concurrently, the Mission engaged in political and community consultations at the local, state, and national level as well as adopted a Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus approach,” the statement said.

UNMISS urges the Government of South Sudan to investigate human rights violations and abuses, and to hold all perpetrators accountable, particularly as violence continues to surge in several parts of the country.