South Sudan medical evacuations rise as conflict intensifies:ICRC

Medical evacuations of wounded South Sudanese rose by 50 percent in the first half of 2026, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Tuesday, as deadly conflict continued to limit access to healthcare in the country.

The world's youngest nation has endured months of renewed violence since late 2025, with government forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir battling opposition militias aligned with his rival, Riek Machar, in several regions.

The ICRC said it evacuated 266 wounded people across South Sudan between January and June, marking a 50 percent increase from the same period last year.

"The rise in evacuations comes as conflict and violence intensified since late 2025," ICRC said in a statement.

"The fighting also led to significant loss of life and injuries, increasing demand for life-saving care," it added.

Most evacuations were carried out by air to Juba Military Hospital, where surgeries increased by nearly 30 percent in the first half of 2026, the ICRC said.

Multiple foreign aid-run hospitals have shut down following attacks since the resurgence of violence, which has also displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

"Conflict is not getting any better, and humanitarian needs are also on the rise," said Rose Ochieng, ICRC health coordinator in South Sudan, adding that funding shortfalls have caused a "strain" in hospitals.

Last week, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country (UNMISS) reported a significant increase in the number of civilians killed and victims of sexual violence compared with the previous quarter.

Between January and March 2026, 206 incidents of conflict-related violence affected 1,388 civilians, mostly men, with 767 killed -- an 89 percent increase from the previous quarter, according to UNMISS.

Hundreds more were wounded, while 93 were abducted and 71 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.

"Every statistic in the report represents the impact of continued violence on human lives," said Anita Kiki Gbeho, Head of UNMISS calling on parties "to prioritize the protection of civilians".

South Sudan gained independence in 2011 but soon descended into civil war between forces loyal to Kiir and Machar. A 2018 power-sharing deal brought relative peace, but it has remained fragile since the resurgence of violence.