After decades of conflict, South Sudan became the youngest country in the world when it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Unfortunately, the early promise soon evaporated when a five-year-long civil war began two years later. The conflict is estimated to have killed around 400,000 people and involved forces aligned to the now President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who belongs to the majority Dinka community, and Riek Machar, who went on to become First Vice President and is Nuer, the country’s second largest ethnic group.
The 2018 revitalised peace agreement signed between Kirr and Machar led to the formation of a ‘national unity’ government in 2020. However, the peace agreement has been on shaky ground ever since, with a failure to draft a new constitution and integrate armed groups into a unified national army. South Sudan’s first elections, originally due to be held in 2023, have been twice postponed and now billed for December 2026.
Sadly, communal violence and violence committed by different armed militia has been a regular occurrence in the country since independence, regularly displacing hundreds of thousands fleeing clashes.
Since early 2025, there has been fighting between South Sudan’s army (the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces - SSPDF) and the White Army – an ethnic Nuer militia with historical ties to Machar’s forces who had fought against Kiir’s forces during the civil war.
In recent weeks, fighting between the national army and Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM/A-IO), the armed wing of Machar’s political party bearing the same name, has rocked Jongeli state. The fear of violence as well as direct and indiscriminate attacks on civilians have forced more than 230,000 people to flee their homes since late December 2025, further threatening to destabilise an already fragile country.
Christian Aid and partners have long worked in South Sudan to promote peace and reconciliation between warring communities, including in Jonglei and Central Equatoria states with our local partner Almana.
Akobo county in Jonglei has not been spared by the flare up of political instability and has seen bouts of fighting between the national army and White Army militia. In March last year, airstrikes struck the outskirts of Akobo town. Since late December last year, 11,000 people in Akobo have been displaced following renewed fighting and airstrikes.
Beyond the wider conflict, Akobo also sees regular conflict between members of the Lou Nuer and the Murle ethnic groups, often in the form of cattle rustling, abductions and killings - all of which perpetuate a cycle of deadly revenge.
Cattle rusting is a major source of violence in South Sudan. Cows are considered a symbol of wealth, and a key source of income for families, as well as traditionally used to pay ‘bride prices’ required for young men to marry.
Conflict further impoverishes families even after the fighting stops. Landmines maim or even kill people working in the fields or grazing cattle which as a consequence badly impacts the local economy. The cycle of violence also drives hunger as it limits people’s ability to fish, hunt and gather wild fruits when food at home is in short supply.
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Almana has been harnessing the power of storytelling to try and reduce violence between warring communities. One of the people helping to make this happen is 28-year-old Nhial Burbur Hoth who lives in the east of Akobo, where he has worked with Almana as a community mobiliser.
“We have been held back by conflicts for decades. Conflicts with our neighbours are still disturbing our lives and for many years has led to the abduction of children and women and cattle raiding. Many people have lost their lives and many more have become disabled because of these conflicts,” Nhial said.
With support from Christian Aid, Almana has produced 10 radio drama series and a film translated into local languages to promote peace and non-violent ways of resolving disputes, as well as improving relationships between communities.
This content is broadcast on local radio stations weekly and the film screened in community centres and churches. Local forum theatre performances are also held that address pressing issues identified by the community and are tailored to cover the different issues in each county that most often lead to tensions and violence.
Pre-recorded messages are also relayed through megaphones mounted onto bicycles cycled by community mobilisers like Nhial. Nhial cycles to places with high footfall in Akobo to spread peace messages including churches, wells, aid distribution sites and even the local football ground.
The broadcast content combats hate speech and warns against revenge killings as well as promotes healing and reconciliation. People are also told of ways to help overcome trauma and are encouraged to look to religious leaders, women and young people to help resolve disputes and building peace.
“Many people want to hear these message of peace. They talk about forgiveness, reconciliation and development of the community after conflict. They show how problems can be solved in nonviolent ways,” Nhial said.
“It's important because people are tired of hearing the words ‘war’, ‘conflict’, and ‘fighting’ in the country,” Nhial added.
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I am definitely worried about peace in South Sudan because if peace doesn’t last the people will go back to war which will lead to the loss of lives. There would be a state of lawlessness in the country and anything could happen to people in the chaos.
35-year-old Mulu Francis Chaplain works as a community mobiliser further south in Kajo-Keji in Central Equatoria state.
Between 2016-2018, Kajo-Keiji was significantly affected by violence, which forced most people to flee their homes and seek safety across the border in Uganda. The violence saw Kajo-Keji become a hotspot for fighting between government forces and opposition groups, with civilians caught up in the violence paying the highest price. Mulu himself grew up in a refugee camp in Uganda before returning to South Sudan for good with his family in 2022.
While around 50,000 internally displaced people and refugees have returned to Kajo-Keji since 2018, thousands remain displaced.
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“The county is still not safe because there are rebel groups in the bush. There is also fighting in the community because of political difference among people affiliated to different armed groups,” said Mulu.
Discussions hosted by Almana with people living in Kajo-Keiji revealed that issues such as, illegal logging and border-area encroachments have contributed to heightened tensions and violence in the area, with a perceived lack of action to meaningfully tackle these issues leading to a decline in public trust toward local authorities.
“Another issue is encroachment by Ugandan soldiers crossing the border. Ugandan soldiers sometimes threaten South Sudanese, ordering people to leave because they claim that parts of Kajo-Keji belongs to Uganda. It remains a big problem till today,” Mulu added.
Mulu says cattle raiding also undermines peace in the county. “People who have guns frequently raid cattle and kill the innocent herders. The loss of cattle, goats, pig’s and sheep brings poverty.”
Audio and visual forms of awareness raising are particularly important, as around 70 percent of people are unable to read or write – making South Sudan a country with one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world.
Mulu spread messages of peace across the county, cycling to busy places including the local football ground. Mulu says his work is vital to build peace in the county.
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“Through the cineboda messages people have learned the art of forgiveness instead of fighting each other or going for revenge, which will cause more harm in the community. Other community members have become peace ambassadors in their villages, preaching peace messages especially in church services across the county,” Mulu said.
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However, like Nhial, Mulu is concerned that fighting across the country might put his hard work at risk.
“People will continue to lose their dear ones because of the insecurity issues in the country. Some South Sudanese will continue living as refugees for the rest of their lives. When there is no peace, people fear to invest money in projects and that means the country will remain underdeveloped. We need everlasting and genuine peace in South Sudan.”
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