Addis Ababa, March 8, 2026 (SSNA) — Thousands of civilians have fled Jonglei State’s Akobo town after the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) ordered residents and aid groups to evacuate ahead of a planned military operation targeting opposition fighters.
The SSPDF said during a press conference that it does not want civilians to become what it described as “unnecessary collateral damage.”
The town, located near the border with Ethiopia, began emptying late Saturday as its residents, mostly women, children, and the elderly, crossed into Ethiopia seeking safety.
According to the SSPDF, the offensive is aimed at forces from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) led by the suspended First Vice President Riek Machar, who is also being prosecuted in the capital, Juba.
The government also ordered humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), to leave Akobo, prompting the evacuation of most humanitarian workers. However, locals told the South Sudan News Agency that the International Committee of the Red Cross continues to operate a surgical unit at the local hospital, where several wounded patients remain under treatment.
Observers, peace implementation bodies, and the United Nations warn that South Sudan risks returning to full-scale war, as the 2018 revitalized peace agreement remains largely unimplemented.