The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is seeking clarification from government authorities after the military ordered peacekeepers and humanitarian workers to vacate the town of Akobo within 72 hours.
The order, issued Friday by the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF), signals a possible escalation of fighting in the volatile Jonglei State.
The military cited plans to launch a new phase of offensive operations in the area following the reported completion of the first phase of a campaign dubbed “Operation Enduring Peace.”
“UNMISS notes reported orders calling for the withdrawal of peacekeepers from its base in Akobo,” UNMISS spokesperson Priyanka Chowdhury told Radio Tamazuj. “The mission is seeking clarification from relevant authorities regarding these directives.”
The directive from SSPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang demands that UNMISS close its temporary operating base and withdraw within three days.
The military also ordered all United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations to evacuate their staff from the area within the same timeframe.
“All UN agencies, NGOs and their staff are ordered to leave within the same window of opportunity,” Koang told reporters in Juba.
Civilians living in Akobo and nearby villages were also instructed to relocate to government-controlled areas or other locations they consider safer to avoid what the military described as “unnecessary collateral damage.”
“Akobo town and surrounding areas are the next targets for the second phase of offensive military operations,” the statement said.
“The above orders are being issued in advance in order to avoid unnecessary collateral damage. We have given this order because we are done with recapturing bases that we had lost in December 2025 and early January 2026,” he said.
Akobo, located near the border with Ethiopia, has long been a stronghold of the opposition Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO). Northern parts of Jonglei have seen a surge in violence and civilian displacement since December 2025, forcing large numbers of people from neighboring Uror and Nyirol counties to seek refuge in Akobo.
The presence and operations of UNMISS in South Sudan are governed by the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), a legal framework between the government and the United Nations that defines the rights, privileges and responsibilities of the peacekeeping mission.
Under its mandate from the United Nations Security Council, UNMISS is tasked with protecting civilians, monitoring and investigating human rights violations, supporting the implementation of peace agreements and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
The mission operates bases across the country to help deter violence and provide protection for civilians during conflict.
The military order has raised concerns about the safety of civilians and the continued presence of humanitarian organizations in the remote northeastern town as military operations expand.