South Sudan: Hundreds of thousands flee clashes in Akobo

Hundreds of thousands have fled the town of Akobo, the latest flashpoint of fighting between armies loyal to the government and the opposition in South Sudan.

The unrest has left scores without humanitarian aid. It comes after the army instructed foreign aid agencies to leave the town last week, ahead of a bid to bring the town back under government control.

The United Nations refused to leave the town, but Doctors Without Borders (MSF) evacuated over the weekend and say their health facilities were looted.

In a statement, the opposition said it attacked the army on Tuesday, leading to their ‘defeat’. It rejected an earlier announcement from the army that it had reinstalled the ‘legitimate’ commissioner for the area.

With communications limited, it has been complicated to confirm events on the ground. A source with a security agency in the country confirmed that the army had entered Akobo on Tuesday, and there have been clashes across the town.

Some 200,000 have fled to nearby Tiergol on the Ethiopian border.

South Sudan gained independence 15 years ago but quickly descended into civil war. It remains plagued by violence and poverty.

A 2018 power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and his long-time rival Riek Machar has been in jeopardy since early 2025, with violence in multiple areas and fears of a return to full-scale conflict.