UPPER NILE, South Sudan, August 11, 2026/APO Group/ —
In the wake of intense clashes between government and opposition armed groups, villagers across eastern Upper Nile are bearing the brunt of the impact on their shattered lives.
As the violence erupted, families were forced to flee their homes and run deep into the nearby bushes to hide.
During their desperate journey to safety, many lost, not only, their homes and livelihoods but also those they loved most.
“We lost people in the bushes and later returned to find nothing but devastation; our homes were deliberately burned down by fire. We face a situation in which the entire community draws water from a single borehole; other basic needs are unavailable. The same applies to nearby villages,” explains Thabitha Nyitapo, Udier Women’s Leader.
“Twenty people share a single room to sleep in and stay protected during the rain. Also, there are no health care facilities left, pregnant women have nowhere to deliver during labor, and mothers and children are suffering due to a lack of medicine.”
Today, the village of Udier serves as a refuge for more than 36,000 displaced people as well as others originally from the area who are returning as fragile calm is restored.
The challenges they face are daunting: how to rebuild their lives with no secure shelter, no reliable access to food, clean water, healthcare, education, or the means to earn a living.
“We have no school now, like I mentioned before, that everything was looted and hospital beds were looted, the schools’ materials, including chairs, were looted, everything was looted, there is nothing here now,” said Wochan Wuordol, Commissioner of Udier.
For the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, protecting civilians and ensuring that life-saving humanitarian aid reaches those most in need has never been more urgent. Their commitment remains unwavering, even as the challenges grow by the day.
Recently, UNMISS peacekeepers patrolled the area to assess the security situation. They met with local authorities and listened to the community’s concerns while working together to identify shared solutions amid ongoing uncertainty.
“People in this community have different political views which can cause tension. Our goal is to ensure that, regardless of their differences, they can live peacefully together,” explains Civil Affairs Officer, William Jial.
Only by strengthening protection for civilians and restoring the basic services they have lost can these families begin to recover, rebuild, and look forward to a future lived in safety and dignity.