Rising Air Warfare Adds to Civilian Toll
Humanitarian observers record a sharp uptick in airstrikes across seven of South Sudan’s ten states, with barrel bombs pushing nearly half a million residents into sudden flight, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
ICRC head of delegation Florence Gillette told reporters in Geneva that “the number of weapon-wounded patients is the highest we have seen since 2018,” with almost 1,000 cases registered in ICRC-supported hospitals during the first half of 2025.
Hospitals Under Strain Amid Funding Drop
Medical facilities, many already operating with skeletal staff, report a drastic reduction in capacity as donor contributions fall and supply lines shrink, leaving surgeons to ration anaesthetics and postpone non-urgent procedures.
Gillette estimated that 57 percent of the population now faces food insecurity, warning that “needs are immense and growing while interest is fading”.
Regional Ripple Effects of Sudans’ Twin Crises
The civil war in neighbouring Sudan has sent an additional 1.2 million people streaming across the border into South Sudan, where many find only overcrowded settlements and erratic aid deliveries.
Local authorities fear that prolonged displacement could ignite tensions over scarce grazing land and water as the rainy season approaches.
Peacekeeping Drawdown Raises Protection Questions
Aid agencies say the planned downsizing of the UN Mission in South Sudan will complicate evacuations and reduce the perceived deterrent against attacks on civilians.
Humanitarian flights remain possible but require careful coordination with multiple armed actors, a process that can delay life-saving surgery by critical hours, Gillette noted.