Bulletin 2026-09UCDP data through GED 26.1, Candidate Events 26.0.9Changes in the data

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Events and deaths in organized violence, as UCDP records them

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South Sudan: events and estimated deaths recorded by UCDP

Data through Population 12,188,788 (World Bank, 2025)

Coverage ends on . Figures that include Candidate Events are preliminary. Compare the two recorded 12-month windows.

UCDP recorded 1 eventP of organized violence in South Sudan in September 2026. The best estimate of deaths in this event is 16P. The count for August 2026 was 2 eventsP.

In the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026, UCDP recorded 56 eventsP in South Sudan. The best estimate of deaths in the events of the 12 months is 731P. The low estimate is 702 and the high estimate is 924P. UCDP counts 242P of these deaths as deaths of civilians.

Among the 49 countries with a page, South Sudan has the 33rd highest count of events in the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026. In the UCDP region Africa, South Sudan has the 13th highest count of events of the 20 countries with a page. In the 12 months to 30 Sep 2025, UCDP recorded 40 events in South Sudan. The count for the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026 is 56P, which is up 40 percent. Over the same periods, the count for all countries with a page together went from 27,291 to 22,144P, which is down 19 percent. Events of state-based armed conflict are 38 percentP of the events in South Sudan in the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026. For all countries with a page, the share is 63 percentP.

Table 1. South Sudan: events and estimated deaths that UCDP records
FigureSeptember 2026PAugust 2026P12 months to 30 Sep 2026P
Events1256
Estimated deaths, best estimate16109731
Low estimate of deaths16109702
High estimate of deaths16109924
Deaths of civilians00242

P Preliminary. The figure is from UCDP Candidate Events, and UCDP revises these events.

Not all events in UCDP Candidate will make it into the final UCDP GED and new events will be added. The UCDP Candidate is a dataset containing events that have a high probability of being included in the final annual version of UCDP GED.

An incident where armed force was used by an organized actor against another organized actor, or against civilians, resulting in at least 1 direct death at a specific location and a specific date

UCDP's words. Source: UCDP Candidate Events Dataset Codebook, version 1.5 (Introduction) and UCDP GED Codebook, version 26.1 (section 2, the definition of an event), copied on .

This page rests on UCDP GED 26.1 and UCDP Candidate Events 26.0.9, with data through . The figures from January 2026 are from Candidate Events. Candidate Events are preliminary and UCDP revises them.

The pages give counts and their sources. They give no travel, security or safety advice. A count of events is not a measure of danger.

Since the last update

ConflictStats recorded this on .

  • UCDP recorded 16 estimated deaths in South Sudan in September 2026 (preliminary). The estimate for August 2026 was 109 (preliminary).

All changes recorded on 28 Oct 2026

24 months

Source: UCDP GED to December 2025, UCDP Candidate Events from January 2026.

0510Jan 2025Jan 2026GEDCandidate
Figure 1. Events in South Sudan by month. A hollow column is a preliminary month. The line marks the change of dataset: GED to the left, Candidate Events from Jan 2026 to the right. The two datasets are not made in the same way, so a step at the line is not only a change in the events. The figures are in Table 7.
0250500Jan 2025Jan 2026GEDCandidate
Figure 2. Estimated deaths in South Sudan by month, best estimate. A hollow column is a preliminary month. The line marks the change of dataset: GED to the left, Candidate Events from Jan 2026 to the right. The two datasets are not made in the same way, so a step at the line is not only a change in the events. The figures are in Table 7.
Figure 3. Events in South Sudan, 3 Jul 2026 to 30 Sep 2026. The map shows 9 events with 174 estimated deaths. One dot is one event at the place that UCDP gives. When a source names no exact place, UCDP puts the event at the centre of a region or of the country. The area of a dot follows the best estimate of deaths. The largest dot is for 330 deaths or more.1 death10 deaths100 deathsOutlines: Natural Earth, with the first-level areas of the UCDP data. An outline shows where the events are. It is not a statement about a border.

Regions

A region is a first-level area in the UCDP data. A region needs 5 or more events in the last 12 months to have a page. Search engines list a region page at 30 or more.

Table 2. Regions of South Sudan with a page, in name order: the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026
RegionEventsEstimated deathsLast event
Central Equatoria state3P162P2 Apr 2026
Jonglei state19P225P15 Jul 2026
Lakes state6P37P1 Jun 2026
Unity state5P40P17 Jul 2026
Warap state10P207P4 Sep 2026
West Equatoria state4P11P28 Apr 2026

P Preliminary. The figure is from UCDP Candidate Events, and UCDP revises these events. 6 regions of South Sudan have a page. 3 more regions have events and no page.

Actors, as UCDP names them

Names as UCDP writes them. The glossary has the UCDP definition of an actor and of a dyad.

Table 3. South Sudan: actors, as UCDP names them, in the events of the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026, in name order
Name, as UCDP writes itEventsEstimated deaths in these events
Abang2P8P
Actor not identified by UCDP16P396P
Alieb1P6P
Aniin Dinka1P4P
Apuk Giir1P1P
Ayual Dinka1P12P
Gak Dinka2P7P
Gawaar Nuer233
Gok Dinka1P10P
Government of South Sudan23P207P
Hol Dinka1P12P
Jur-Man-Anger1P14P
Lou Nuer233
Luac Jang Dinka2P14P
Malual Dinka2P8P
Manuer Dinka3P17P
Marial Wau1P1P
Moru1P2P
Mundari1P2P
Nyarmuong1P14P
Pakam Dinka1P10P
Panyar Dinka1P6P
SFA1P2P
SPLM/A - IO22P197P

An event has two sides, so one event can be in two rows. The deaths are the deaths in the events of a side. The table does not say which side caused a death. Names are as UCDP writes them, with two labels that the site writes. UCDP does not identify some actors: the site writes "Actor not identified by UCDP" for each of them. UCDP names some groups for a person: the site writes "Group named for a person (name not shown)" for each of them. A line with a label can hold more than one actor.

Table 4. South Sudan: UCDP dyads in the events of the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026, in name order
Dyad, as UCDP writes itEventsEstimated deaths
Abang - Malual Dinka2P8P
Actor not identified by UCDP - Actor not identified by UCDP12P232P
Actor not identified by UCDP - Civilians4P164P
Aniin Dinka - Gak Dinka1P4P
Apuk Giir - Marial Wau1P1P
Gak Dinka - Manuer Dinka1P3P
Gawaar Nuer - Lou Nuer233
Government of South Sudan - Civilians3P29P
Government of South Sudan - SPLM/A - IO20P178P
Hol Dinka - Ayual Dinka1P12P
Luac Jang Dinka - Manuer Dinka2P14P
Mundari - Moru1P2P
Nyarmuong - Jur-Man-Anger1P14P
Pakam Dinka - Gok Dinka1P10P
Panyar Dinka - Alieb1P6P
SFA - Civilians1P2P
SPLM/A - IO - Civilians2P19P

P Preliminary. The figure is from UCDP Candidate Events, and UCDP revises these events.

Type of violence

Table 5. South Sudan: events by type of violence, the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026
Type of violenceEventsShare of events
State-based armed conflict21P38%
Non-state conflict25P45%
One-sided violence against civilians10P18%

P Preliminary. The figure is from UCDP Candidate Events, and UCDP revises these events.

State-based conflict

A state-based armed conflict is a contested incompatibility that concerns government and/or territory where the use of armed force between two parties, of which at least one is the government of a state, results in at least 25 battle-related deaths in one calendar year.

UCDP's words. Source: UCDP Definitions, copied on .

Non-state conflict

The use of armed force between two organised armed groups, neither of which is the government of a state, which results in at least 25 battle-related deaths in a year.

UCDP's words. Source: UCDP Definitions, copied on .

One-sided violence

The deliberate use of armed force by the government of a state or by a formally organised group against civilians which results in at least 25 deaths in a year.

UCDP's words. Source: UCDP Definitions, copied on .

Years

Years to 2025 are from the UCDP GED. The year 2026 is from Candidate Events and is not complete.

Table 6. South Sudan: events and estimated deaths by year
YearEventsEstimated deathsDataset
20171161,271GED
20181571,229GED
201968642GED
202063748GED
202155891GED
202236741GED
202310224GED
202415697GED
202552661GED
2026, to 30 Sep 202642P637PCandidate Events

P Preliminary. The figure is from UCDP Candidate Events, and UCDP revises these events.

Monthly reports

One report for each month with events. Search engines list a report of a month in the last 12 months that has 20 or more events.

Table 7. Monthly reports of South Sudan, newest first: events and estimated deaths
MonthEventsEstimated deathsDataset
September 20261P16PCandidate Events
August 20262P109PCandidate Events
July 20266P49PCandidate Events
June 20266P37PCandidate Events
May 20265P46PCandidate Events
April 20263P23PCandidate Events
March 20265P128PCandidate Events
February 20266P47PCandidate Events
January 20268P182PCandidate Events
December 2025328GED
November 2025410GED
October 2025756GED
September 2025992GED
August 2025311GED
July 202533GED
June 202514GED
May 20257106GED
April 2025129GED
March 20255235GED
February 2025114GED
January 2025873GED
December 2024236GED
August 202424GED

P Preliminary. The figure is from UCDP Candidate Events, and UCDP revises these events. Search engines list a report of a month in the last 12 months that has 20 or more events. The other reports stay online and ask search engines not to list them.

Other countries of the UCDP region Africa

Comparisons

Refugees and asylum seekers

Not UCDP data. Source: UNHCR Refugee Population Statistics Database, CC BY 4.0, figures for the end of 2025.

Table 8. People from South Sudan who are in other countries, end of 2025 (UNHCR)
GroupPeople
Refugees2,386,499
Asylum seekers123,984

These figures come from UNHCR. They are not a part of the UCDP counts of events and deaths. UNHCR has not endorsed this site. Read the UNHCR terms of use for datasets.

Official channels

These links go to the sites of the organisations. The UCDP and World Bank links were checked on .

Cite and download

ConflictStats. South Sudan: events and estimated deaths recorded by UCDP. https://conflictstats.com/country/south-sudan/. Source: Uppsala Conflict Data Program, UCDP GED 26.1 and UCDP Candidate Events 26.0.9. Data through .

The address of this page does not change. UCDP asks for a citation of its publications: Data sources and licences has it.

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The files are made from UCDP data, CC BY 4.0. The figures from January 2026 are from UCDP Candidate Events. Candidate Events are preliminary and UCDP revises them. The rate for the 12 months is 4.6 (preliminary) events for each million inhabitants.

Questions

How many events did UCDP record in South Sudan in September 2026?

UCDP recorded 1 eventP of organized violence in South Sudan in September 2026. The count for August 2026 was 2 eventsP.

How does UCDP count deaths?

UCDP gives a best estimate, a low estimate and a high estimate for each event. This page uses the best estimate. For South Sudan in the 12 months to 30 Sep 2026, the best estimate is 731P. The low estimate is 702 and the high estimate is 924P.

Are the figures of the latest months final?

No. The figures from January 2026 are from UCDP Candidate Events. Candidate Events are preliminary and UCDP revises them. UCDP releases the reviewed dataset, the GED, one time each year.

Where are the events of South Sudan as a CSV file?

The file has one row for each event from 1 Sep 2024 to 30 Sep 2026. It has 96 rows. Download the events (CSV)