The UN Human Rights Commission in South Sudan on Friday expressed concern regarding the human costs associated with returning to work armed conflict in the country after human remains were discovered during roadworks in Jonglei State.
The chair of the UN commission, Yasmin Sooka, said:
The discovery of human remains in a conflict-affected area is always a cause for serious concern. The possibility that victims are buried in unmarked locations points to an even more disturbing reality in which the full extent of suffering remains hidden and in which unlawful killings or enforced disappearances may have gone unaccounted for.
The circumstances of the deaths and burial of the discovered bodies remain unknown, but preliminary information suggests that the remains may be those of combatants killed in previous clashes. The UN commission also found that the burial sites may contain the bodies of civilians killed in previous fighting in circumstances that may constitute a violation of international humanitarian and human rights law.
The commission called on authorities to conduct effective and impartial investigations into the circumstances of the deaths, identify the bodies and hold all those responsible to account, in line with States’ obligations to protect lives and investigate suspicious deaths UN principles for the effective prevention and investigation of extralegal, arbitrary and summary executions. It also stressed the need to preserve the discovered sites to ensure appropriate forensic investigation in line with UN requirements Minnesota Protocol for Investigating Potentially Wrongful Killings. To this end, the Commission called on the authorities to comply with the procedures required by international law and to facilitate access for relevant investigative authorities and international experts when necessary.
The UN Commission report intervened renewed violence in South Sudan, characterized by fierce fighting between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA-IO), which violated the law Peace agreement active since 2018. In October 2025, the United Nations warned There is a growing risk of renewed conflict in South Sudan due to repeated armed clashes and political uprisings in the country. In addition, the UN Human Rights Commission in South Sudan warned that the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement was systematically undermined by belligerent forces.
The armed conflict in South Sudan has led to serious human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests of civilians, kidnappings and sexual violence against women and girls, and has plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis. Added to this is the escalating violence repressed Nearly 280,000 people are forced to leave their homes and live without access to food or essential services, including health care.
