The city of Akobo in South Sudan’s Jonglei State is facing an imminent humanitarian crisis as residents and aid organizations are forced to flee ahead of a looming government offensive.
Following the issuance of evacuation orders on March 6, civilians—many of whom are already displaced—have been given only 72 hours to leave, a directive that provides no security guarantees for the more than 17,000 recently displaced individuals currently seeking refuge in the area. In response to the escalating violence, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams were forced to evacuate the region on March 7, effectively ending primary healthcare services for the local population and those who had fled to the county.
The situation has been exacerbated by direct attacks on medical infrastructure. The hospital in Akobo, where MSF provided critical support to the pediatric ward, was looted, along with the organization’s pharmacy and offices. These acts resulted in the total loss of essential medical supplies and equipment, halting crucial preparations for the upcoming malaria season and obstructing ongoing vaccination campaigns. These incidents are part of an alarming pattern in South Sudan, where MSF has documented twelve attacks on their staff or facilities since March 2025, leading to the closure of three hospitals. Within the first two months of 2026 alone, three such attacks have already been recorded.
This displacement is set against a backdrop of widespread conflict across Jonglei State, where nearly 280,000 people have been forced from their homes. Earlier this year, MSF was forced to leave Pieri due to fighting, and in early February, airstrikes in Lankien destroyed the town’s last operational hospital, causing numerous civilian casualties. Akobo, an isolated region where MSF is one of the only providers of medical care for approximately 112,000 people, had only recently become accessible after authorities had restricted flights and the delivery of medical supplies for several weeks.
Christophe Garnier, MSF’s head of mission in South Sudan, expressed deep concern that these forced evacuations trap vulnerable populations, leaving them exposed to violence and cut off from essential aid. Most of those currently fleeing are suffering from exhaustion and trauma, and they now face life-threatening shortages of food, clean water, and shelter. As the conflict intensifies, MSF is urgently calling on all warring parties to protect civilians, establish safe zones, and guarantee secure access for humanitarian aid, while emphasizing that healthcare facilities must be treated as protected spaces to ensure the survival of those trapped in the crossfire.
TE/fss/abj/APA