United Nations peacekeepers and South Sudanese authorities failed to take adequate preventive action despite receiving warnings weeks before a March 2026 attack that killed more than 200 people in northern South Sudan, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
In a new report, the rights group said the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) knew an attack on Abiemnom near the Sudan border was likely but failed to reinforce its contingent of about three dozen peacekeepers until after the assault.
At least 213 people were killed when between 1,000 and 1,500 armed men from neighbouring Mayom County attacked the town on March 1, according to authorities.
“Both the government and UNMISS had sufficient information and time to take more effective preventive action. Their failure to take stronger action cost lives,” Amnesty regional director Tigere Chagutah said.
UNMISS said it acted within severe resource constraints, focusing on protecting about 2,500 civilians who sought refuge at its base.
The mission said it had repeatedly requested additional government security deployments after receiving early warnings of the attack.
Established in 2011 following South Sudan’s independence, UNMISS is mandated by the UN Security Council to protect civilians and support peacebuilding efforts.
Amnesty called for independent investigations into both the killings and the peacekeepers’ response.
JN/APA