Insights

Avoid all travel to South Sudan, due to the credible risk of kidnap and violence

The United Nations (UN) has announced that over one million South Sudanese have now arrived in Uganda, fleeing continued violence, armed conflict, sexual violence and hunger in their own country. The UN have called for international action to deal with one of Africa’s biggest international crises. In total, one third of South Sudan’s population of 13 million have been displaced. South Sudan declared its independence from Sudan in 2011 after a long and bloody guerrilla war, which resulted in over two million deaths. Since 2013, South Sudan has been engaged in civil war between supporters of the government and rival ethnic groups. The UN has begun to deploy an extra 4000 troops to South Sudan to bolster their resident peacekeeping force of 13,000, but they have been able to do little to prevent the spreading violence.

It is advisable to avoid all travel to South Sudan, due to the credible risk of kidnap and violence. If you have no pressing need to remain, you should leave if it’s safe to do so. In the event of a serious deterioration in the security environment, similar to those in July 2016 and December 2013, routes in and out of the country may be blocked, the airport closed or inaccessible and flights suspended at short notice.