Late 2023 saw a surge in intercommunal conflict in parts of South Sudan, resulting in 862 instances of death, injury, abduction and conflict-related sexual violence, according to a United Nations peacekeeping mission.
The U.N. Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) produced its final quarterly report for 2023 and found a 4% increase in incidents and a 35% increase in victims compared to the previous quarter.
Intercommunal violence by militias and/or civil defense groups accounted for 86% of all civilians affected during the period. The main conflict hot spot, Warrap State, experienced an 87% increase in victims compared to the previous quarter, from 244 to 457. More than half of those affected by the violence were caught in retaliatory attacks related to the ongoing border dispute between Dinka Twic Mayardit in Warrap and Dinka Ngok communities in Abyei, with 263 killed and 186 injured.
The report noted a 54% increase in abduction victims, from 65 to 100, compared to the previous quarter. Small-scale attacks by alleged armed Murle elements from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area make up 43% of all abductions in South Sudan. The brief notes that 104 victims were subjected to sexual violence.
UNMISS civilian protection across the world’s youngest country saw upward of 10,000 peacekeeping patrols conducted by land, air and boat in 2023. The mission assists communities in reconciling and building peace through dialogue and actively supports political and peace processes, including security and justice sector reform, and constitution-making and election preparations.
The U.N. has renewed the mission mandate for another year. It has been renewed annually since its inception in 2011. Since 2021, its mandate has been to “prevent a return to civil war, build durable peace at the local and national levels, and support inclusive and accountable governance and free, fair and peaceful elections.”
However, recent research by the South Africa-based Institute for Security Studies indicates that the mission lacks an explicit security sector reform mandate and the capacity to carry it out.