Two Ethiopian UN peacekeepers were killed in South Sudan as the Security Council, India and António Guterres demanded accountability amid worsening insecurity and violence…reports Africa Daily News Desk
Two Ethiopian United Nations peacekeepers have been killed and seven other people injured after unidentified armed men ambushed a UN patrol in South Sudan’s volatile Jonglei State, prompting international condemnation and fresh calls for those responsible to be brought to justice.
The attack took place on August 24 as a joint patrol from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, was travelling towards the remote area of Pajut.
The two Ethiopian peacekeepers were killed in the ambush, while three other Ethiopian peacekeepers were injured. Two members of the South Sudan National Police Service and two UNMISS civilian staff were also wounded.
UNMISS said it immediately deployed a Quick Reaction Force to secure the area and support the emergency response, while the injured were evacuated for medical treatment.
The United Nations has not identified those behind the attack, and an investigation is under way.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the ambush in the “strongest possible terms”, extending condolences to the families of those killed and to the Ethiopian government and people.
The UN chief said attacks on peacekeepers could constitute war crimes under international law and called for a prompt investigation and the prosecution of those responsible.
Anita Kiki Gbeho, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMISS, described the attack as unacceptable.
“Such deadly violence targeting UNMISS personnel who are serving to support peace in South Sudan is unacceptable,” she said, calling for a thorough and prompt investigation.
The attack brings the number of UN peacekeepers killed in malicious acts in South Sudan since the start of 2026 to nine, according to the UN. The latest incident has also highlighted the increasingly dangerous environment in which peacekeepers, humanitarian workers and local communities are operating.
India joined the condemnation, paying tribute to the two fallen Ethiopian Blue Helmets and calling for full accountability.
India’s Permanent Mission to the UN said New Delhi remained committed to the protection of UN personnel and urged adherence to Security Council Resolution 2589 on accountability for crimes against peacekeepers.
The resolution was proposed by India during its presidency of the UN Security Council in 2021 and was adopted unanimously. India has long been one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations and has lost 161 personnel while serving under the UN flag, including 17 in South Sudan, according to figures cited by India’s UN mission.
India also has a major presence in UNMISS, with 1,775 Indian peacekeepers deployed with the mission as of May, making it the largest national contingent at that time.
The UN Security Council has since issued a separate statement condemning what it described as a deliberate attack and demanding a full, transparent and immediate investigation. Council members warned that impunity for attacks against peacekeepers was unacceptable and expressed alarm at continuing intercommunal and armed violence in Jonglei State.
The deadly ambush comes against a backdrop of mounting instability across South Sudan.
The country gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but descended into civil war just two years later following a power struggle between President Salva Kiir and his then deputy, Riek Machar.
Although the 2018 peace agreement reduced the scale of fighting, its implementation has remained fragile and political tensions have continued.
Machar, who has faced treason and other charges that he says are politically motivated, has been suspended from his role as vice president and remains in detention, while violence involving armed groups and militias has intensified in several areas.
Jonglei has been among the regions most affected by insecurity, with intercommunal violence, armed activity and humanitarian crises creating serious challenges for civilians and aid organisations.
UNMISS, which was established in 2011, has a mandate to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access, monitor human rights violations and support South Sudan’s peace process and political transition. Around 12,000 peacekeepers currently serve with the mission.
The wider security situation is also taking a heavy toll on humanitarian workers. The UN has reported that at least 36 humanitarian workers have been killed in South Sudan since January, exceeding the 31 killed during the whole of 2025.
