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News release

South Sudan: Over 445,000 people displaced by armed conflict as funding dries up

Part of some 1,200 households of returnees the ICRC assisted in Kuajok, Warrap State in September with essential household items.

JUBA (ICRC) – A surge in fighting across South Sudan has forced more than 445,000 people to flee their homes in 2025, exacerbating one of the world’s most protracted humanitarian crises. With aid funding sharply declining and essential services stretched to breaking point, families face growing hardship and uncertainty. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is urging all parties to the conflict, authorities and donors to take action to prevent a catastrophe in the months to come. 

Throughout the year, the scope of the armed conflict has widened, affecting civilians living across South Sudan, primarily in areas of Upper Nile, Jonglei, Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal. Many families have been displaced multiple times in search of safety.

“All over the country, civilians bear the brunt of conflicts and violence. They flee, try to rebuild their lives, and are forced to flee again. Conflict-related hostilities affected seven states out of 10, and inter-communal violence has occurred in almost all states. This cycle must end so that communities can recover from years of crisis. This is further compounded by the impact of climate change, with above 900,000 affected, including 300,000 displaced”, said Florence Gillette, ICRC Head of Delegation in South Sudan. 

Part of some 1,200 households of returnees the ICRC assisted in Kuajok, Warrap State in September with essential household items.
Returnees receiving food ration cards in Kuajok, Warrap State from ICRC & South Sudan Red Cross staff.
©Alex Majoli /Magnum Photos for ICRC
Returnees receiving food ration cards in Kuajok, Warrap State from ICRC & South Sudan Red Cross staff.
©Alex Majoli /Magnum Photos for ICRC

In 2025 alone, the combined effects of conflict in South Sudan, the consequences of conflict in Sudan, recurrent inter-communal violence, and massive floods, have devastated communities.

“When the fighting started in the village, I ran with my children and never looked back. We walked for days without food, and my youngest fell sick on the way. Life in this temporary settlement here is not easy, I worry for my children’s safety and our future,” said Grace Wani, a mother of four currently displaced in Yambio, Western Equatoria. 

ICRC staff and South Sudan Red Cross volunteers set aside this structure for lactating mothers and persons with disabilities.
Distributions often happen under intense heat. Here in Kuajok, ICRC & South Sudan Red Cross staff set up a shelter for people waiting. ©Alex Majoli / Magnum Photos for ICRC.
Distributions often happen under intense heat. Here in Kuajok, ICRC & South Sudan Red Cross staff set up a shelter for people waiting. ©Alex Majoli / Magnum Photos for ICRC.

“Displaced people will continue to face unbearable conditions unless all parties do everything possible to protect civilians and civilian objects such as fields and other sources of livelihood, water installations, housing, healthcare facilities, markets, and schools,” said Ms Gillette.

 “The war in Sudan forced me to flee to South Sudan with my three children. When we finally reached Kuajok, the place my parents once called home, I felt both relief and sadness. I was back to my ancestral land, but I knew no one. Life was hard. My children often went to sleep hungry. Then, in September 2025, the ICRC came with support for returnees like me. That evening, I cooked beans and porridge, and my children smiled again. For the first time in months, we slept safely and full”, said Achol Marial, a returnee from Sudan. 

Part of some 1,200 households of returnees the ICRC assisted in Kuajok, Warrap State in September with essential household items.
September 10th, 2025, Kuajok. After hours of waiting, families collect their rations and begin the long walk home. ©Alex Majoli / Magnum Photos for ICRC.
September 10th, 2025, Kuajok. After hours of waiting, families collect their rations and begin the long walk home. ©Alex Majoli / Magnum Photos for ICRC.

Since the beginning of 2025, the ICRC has assisted 196,000 displaced people and returnees from Sudan in collaboration with the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC). This assistance has focused on addressing life-saving needs through a combination of food support, cash assistance, emergency agricultural and livestock interventions, income-generating assistance, and the provision of essential household items to improve living conditions. 

September 12th, 2025. Wau airport. Returnee from Sudan.
September 12, 2025 – Wau Airport. Many returnees from Sudan, like this young man flying to Mankien, arrive to find no shelter, food, or water, forcing families into makeshift homes amid rising disease and malnutrition. ©Alex Majoli / Magnum Photos for ICRC.
September 12, 2025 – Wau Airport. Many returnees from Sudan, like this young man flying to Mankien, arrive to find no shelter, food, or water, forcing families into makeshift homes amid rising disease and malnutrition. ©Alex Majoli / Magnum Photos for ICRC.

From January to September 2025, the ICRC, working closely with the SSRC, has:

  • Delivered life-saving aid to 107,724 displaced people and returnees, providing food, cash, and essential household items in the hardest-hit areas.
  • Supported 88,225 farming and herding families with the provision of seeds, cassava cuttings, tools and livestock treatment to restore livelihoods.
  • Performed 3,541 surgeries on weapon-wounded patients in Akobo Hospital, Juba Military Hospital and in Renk.
  • Improved access to clean water for nearly 95,000 people, including displaced South Sudanese families, as well as returnees and refugees from Sudan.
  • Provided physical rehabilitation services to 3,500 persons with disabilities in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare.
  • Offered mental health and psychosocial support sessions to 5,894 people coping with conflict-related trauma.
  • Trained 3,912 people in first aid, including health workers, SSRC volunteers, weapon bearers and community members.
  • Facilitated 18,526 successful phone calls to help displaced people reconnect with their families.
  • Visited 5,376 detainees in 10 locations to help improve their treatment and living conditions.
  • Promoted respect for health services by engaging with 5,547 community members and health staff. 

For more information, please contact:
Germain Mwehu, ICRC Juba, tel: +211 912 360 023, gemwehu@icrc.org