South Sudan: Humanitarian Snapshot (May 2026)

Download Infographic (PDF | 656.21 KB)

Between January and May, more than 420,800 people were displaced across South Sudan due to conflict, according to IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix figures. This includes over 324,100 people displaced by violence in Jonglei State: 261,570 within Jonglei; nearly 29,000 to Mingkaman in Awerial County, Lakes State; over 27,000 to Nasir, Panyikang and Ulang counties in Upper Nile State; and more than 6,000 to Juba County in Central Equatoria State. In addition to displacement, a significant returnee population was reported in Akobo in May, many arriving from Tiergol, Ethiopia.

Partners are verifying these figures. The humanitarian situation in Jonglei State, particularly in Akobo County, remains fragile and volatile. Despite periods of relative calm, localized violence, sustained protection risks and ongoing population movements continue to drive humanitarian needs. Basic services are under severe strain: Akobo County Hospital is serving an estimated 267,000 people - nearly five times its intended capacity while Akobo West has virtually no functional health facilities. Schools face critical teacher shortages, and WASH conditions are deteriorating due to the lack of solar power for the area’s only water pumping station.

Protection concerns remain acute. Reports indicate increasing incidents of child abduction, conflict-related sexual violence and recruitment into armed groups in Akobo and surrounding counties. UNICEF has identified more than 500 unaccompanied children across Jonglei State, though the actual number is likely higher. Elsewhere, on 20 May, renewed intercommunal fighting in Bor South County displaced over 3,000 people, with homes and livelihoods reportedly destroyed. Seasonal flooding has also begun to affect communities. In Unity State, flooding in Koch County on 25 May affected approximately 2,000 people, destroying more than 300 shelters, along with food stocks and basic infrastructure.

South Sudan continues to face multiple public health emergencies. Cholera remains a major concern, with over 103,800 cases and 1,673 deaths reported nationwide since September 2024. Mpox cases are rising, with 105 cases recorded since January across Ezo, Yambio, Nzara, Tambura, Juba and Yei counties. Although no Ebola cases have been confirmed, the risk of an outbreak remains high due to porous borders and weak health systems; national preparedness is currently assessed at 29 per cent against WHO benchmarks. Other outbreaks include measles in Lakes, Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Upper Nile and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states, as well as circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus types 1 and 2 in Maiwut and Juba counties.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.

Source: https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudan-humanitarian-snapshot-may-2026