United Nations peacekeepers were ambushed by members of a local armed group in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State on Wednesday, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said in a statement Thursday.
The attack took place while peacekeepers were conducting a routine patrol between the towns of Tambura and Mapuse, an area that has seen repeated violence.
According to UNMISS, the assailants seized a small cache of weapons and ammunition before retreating. No injuries were reported, and all personnel returned safely to their base.
“Peacekeepers are deployed to protect civilians in areas where security remains extremely fragile,” said Priyanka Chowdhury, spokesperson for UNMISS. “They must not be targeted by any armed group. Attacks on peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.”
UNMISS did not name the group believed to be responsible for the ambush.
The mission reiterates that its peacekeepers are deployed to protect civilians at a time when access and security remain fragile across Western Equatoria, particularly in and around Tambura. It further emphasized that any attack against its peacekeepers may constitute a war crime.
The UN Mission said it would continue to carry out “robust patrols” across Western Equatoria and other parts of the country, in line with its mandate to protect civilians.
South Sudan remains volatile seven years after the 2018 Revitalised Peace Agreement, with intercommunal violence and armed group activity threatening stability in several areas.