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South Sudan conflict statistics
Organized violence recorded by UCDP, data through 31 Jul 2026. Updated automatically as new monthly releases are published. Population 12,188,788 (World Bank, 2025).
Between 3 May 2026 and 31 Jul 2026, UCDP recorded 12 organized-violence events in South Sudan, broadly level with 14 in the preceding 90 days (-14%). Estimated deaths in the period: 124.
The 12-month total for South Sudan stands at 60 events and 701 estimated deaths. That is +100% on the previous 12 months. UCDP's low and high estimates put the death toll between 672 and 941. 52% of events were classed as state-based armed conflict. Civilian deaths in the same period: 259. Relative to population, that is 4.9 events per million people.
Violence in the last 90 days was concentrated in Jonglei state (5), Unity state (2), Warap state (2), which together account for 75% of recorded events.
The most active conflict pairing over the last 12 months was Government of South Sudan - SPLM/A - IO (31 events, 265 estimated deaths).
Displacement from South Sudan
Main host countries: Uganda (1,033,650), Sudan (634,954), Ethiopia (482,817), Kenya (202,863), Dem. Rep. of the Congo (90,012). Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder, 2025 figures.
Monthly reports:Jul 2026Jun 2026May 2026Apr 2026Mar 2026Feb 2026Jan 2026Dec 2025Nov 2025Oct 2025Sep 2025Aug 2025
Events in South Sudan, last 90 days
Monthly trend
Most affected regions
| Region | Events, 90d | Change | Events, 12m | Deaths, 12m | Last event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonglei state | 5 | -17% | 19 | 238 | 15 Jul 2026 |
| Unity state | 2 | +100% | 5 | 40 | 17 Jul 2026 |
| Warap state | 2 | 0% | 5 | 73 | 17 Jul 2026 |
| Lakes state | 2 | +100% | 5 | 46 | 13 May 2026 |
| Central Equatoria state | 0 | -100% | 8 | 172 | 2 Apr 2026 |
| West Equatoria state | 0 | -100% | 7 | 20 | 28 Apr 2026 |
3 further first-level administrative areas had fewer than 5 recorded events in the last 12 months and are not listed separately.
Deadliest recorded events, last 90 days
| Date | Where | Parties | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Jul 2026 | Tonj South county Warap state | Unidentified armed group vs Unidentified armed group Non-state | 19 |
| 17 Jul 2026 | Leer county Unity state | Unidentified armed group vs Unidentified armed group Non-state | 17 |
| 29 Jun 2026 | Duk county Jonglei state | Unidentified armed group vs Civilians One-sided, 17 civilian | 17 |
| 26 May 2026 | Pibor county Jonglei state | SPLM/A - IO vs Civilians One-sided, 17 civilian | 17 |
| 2 Jun 2026 | Leer county Unity state | Unidentified armed group vs Unidentified armed group Non-state | 15 |
| 13 May 2026 | Rumbek North county Lakes state | Luac Jang Dinka vs Manuer Dinka Non-state | 14 |
| 6 May 2026 | Twic East county Jonglei state | Hol Dinka vs Ayual Dinka Non-state | 12 0–12 |
| 17 Jul 2026 | Twic county Warap state | Unidentified armed group vs Civilians One-sided, 9 civilian | 9 |
| 5 Jul 2026 | Akobo county Jonglei state | Government of South Sudan vs SPLM/A - IO State-based, 3 sources | 2 2–4 |
| 20 Jul 2026 | Wau county West Bahr-al-Ghazal state | Apuk Giir vs Marial Wau Non-state | 1 |
Most recorded parties, last 12 months
| Party | Events | Est. deaths in those events |
|---|---|---|
| Government of South Sudan | 34 | 294 |
| SPLM/A - IO | 33 | 284 |
| Unidentified armed group | 15 | 359 |
| Gawaar Nuer | 2 | 33 |
| Lou Nuer | 2 | 33 |
| Pakam Dinka | 2 | 26 |
Conflict pairings, last 12 months
| Pairing (UCDP dyad) | Events | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Government of South Sudan - SPLM/A - IO | 31 | 265 |
| Unidentified armed group - Civilians | 5 | 181 |
| Unidentified armed group - Unidentified armed group | 5 | 89 |
| Government of South Sudan - Civilians | 3 | 29 |
| Gawaar Nuer - Lou Nuer | 2 | 33 |
| SPLM/A - IO - Civilians | 2 | 19 |
Type of violence, last 12 months
| Category | Events | Share |
|---|---|---|
| State-based armed conflict | 31 | 52% |
| Non-state conflict | 18 | 30% |
| One-sided violence against civilians | 11 | 18% |
Long-run view: events per year
| Year | Events | Est. deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 116 | 1,271 | |
| 2018 | 157 | 1,229 | |
| 2019 | 68 | 642 | |
| 2020 | 63 | 748 | |
| 2021 | 55 | 891 | |
| 2022 | 36 | 741 | |
| 2023 | 10 | 224 | |
| 2024 | 15 | 697 | |
| 2025 | 52 | 661 | |
| 2026 (to date) | 34 | 504 |
Annual figures from the UCDP GED main release (through the last full year) plus Candidate Events for the current year, which are provisional.
Frequently asked questions
How many conflict events were recorded in South Sudan in the last 12 months?
UCDP recorded 60 organized-violence events in South Sudan between 1 Aug 2025 and 31 Jul 2026, with an estimated 701 deaths (range 672 to 941).
Is violence in South Sudan increasing or decreasing?
Broadly stable. Events in the last 90 days (12) were within 20% of the preceding 90 days (14).
Which regions of South Sudan are most affected?
Over the last 90 days the most events were recorded in Jonglei state (5), Unity state (2), Warap state (2), Lakes state (2).
Who are the main armed actors in South Sudan?
The parties recorded in the most events over the last 12 months were Government of South Sudan (34 events), SPLM/A - IO (33 events), Unidentified armed group (15 events), Gawaar Nuer (2 events).
What kind of violence is recorded in South Sudan?
UCDP classes events as state-based armed conflict, non-state conflict, or one-sided violence against civilians. In South Sudan, 52% of events over the last 12 months were state-based armed conflict.
Where does this data come from?
Event counts and death estimates come from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) Georeferenced Event Dataset and its monthly Candidate Events releases, published under CC BY 4.0. Figures use UCDP's "best" fatality estimate. Data on this page runs through 31 Jul 2026.
Compare: South Sudan vs Mozambique · South Sudan vs South Africa · South Sudan vs Central African Republic · South Sudan vs Tanzania
Monthly reports:Jul 2026Jun 2026May 2026Apr 2026Mar 2026Feb 2026Jan 2026Dec 2025Nov 2025Oct 2025Sep 2025Aug 2025Jul 2025Jun 2025May 2025Apr 2025Mar 2025Feb 2025Jan 2025Dec 2024Aug 2024Jul 2024
Counts use UCDP's "best" fatality estimate. Candidate Events for the current year are provisional and may be revised in the next annual GED release. See methodology.