South Sudan’s church leaders have called for an immediate end to hostilities, warning that armed violence, youth mobilization and inter-communal clashes are killing civilians, displacing communities and obstructing humanitarian operations.
At a press conference in Juba on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the South Sudan Council of Churches said security and humanitarian conditions were deteriorating across several parts of the country. “The suffering of our people has reached a point where silence is no longer an option,” the church leaders said.
Justin Badi Arama, Primate of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, said civilians were being killed and abducted, communities displaced and roads becoming increasingly dangerous.
The Council highlighted violence in Upper Nile, Jonglei, Unity and Warrap states, alongside insecurity in the Greater Pibor, Ruweng and Abyei administrative areas. It also warned of attacks along roads connecting Juba with Mundri, Torit and Yei.
The churches urged the Government, armed groups, traditional authorities and communities to protect civilians, stop revenge attacks and the arming of young people, and guarantee safe humanitarian access. “We therefore call upon all conflicting parties and communities to choose restraint over retaliation, dialogue over confrontation, and reconciliation over revenge,” they said.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011 but descended into civil war in 2013. A 2018 Peace agreement reduced large-scale fighting, although implementation delays and local violence continue to undermine peace.