MSF Suspends South Sudan Operations
By Darius Spearman (africanelements)
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MSF Operations Halted
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has stopped its work in Yei River and Morobo counties in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan (africanews.com). This decision came after one of their staff members was abducted. The incident happened on Tuesday, August 5th, 2025, while MSF staff were being moved from Morobo to Yei (africanews.com). This evacuation was necessary because security conditions in the area were getting worse.
Gunmen stopped an MSF convoy that was evacuating staff (africanews.com). They forced the team leader out of the vehicle and dragged him into thick bushes. After the abduction, the vehicles were allowed to continue their journey (africanews.com). The head of MSF’s mission in South Sudan stated that this abduction was a deliberate attack on humanitarian workers (africanews.com). This incident highlights the extreme dangers faced by those trying to provide aid in the region.
Timeline of MSF Security Incidents
MSF suspends operations in Yei River and Morobo counties after a staff member is abducted during an evacuation.
Armed criminals attack MSF vehicles, kidnapping staff and looting belongings, leading to suspension of outreach activities in Yei River County.
MSF suspends activities in Maban after armed men storm a compound, looting property and destroying equipment.
Armed men attack MSF aid workers in Sudan while delivering medical supplies, physically beating and whipping the team.
This timeline illustrates a series of security incidents affecting MSF operations in South Sudan and neighboring Sudan, highlighting the ongoing dangers faced by aid workers.
Aid Worker Safety Concerns
This recent abduction is not an isolated event; MSF and other aid organizations have faced many attacks and security challenges in South Sudan. For instance, on September 20, 2024, armed criminals attacked two marked MSF vehicles returning to Yei (radiotamazuj.org). During this attack, MSF staff and one staff member from a partner organization were kidnapped, and their personal belongings were stolen. This forced MSF to stop all outreach activities in Yei River County (radiotamazuj.org).
Furthermore, in February 2023, MSF suspended its activities in Maban, Upper Nile State (reuters.com). This happened after unidentified armed men stormed one of their compounds, stealing property, burning equipment, and destroying vehicles and communication devices (reuters.com). In July 2023, armed men attacked MSF aid workers in Sudan while they were delivering medical supplies to a hospital in the capital city (reuters.com). The attackers physically beat and whipped the MSF team (reuters.com). MSF stated that if such incidents continue and their ability to move supplies is blocked, their presence in the Turkish Hospital would become impossible (reuters.com). This emphasizes the critical need for basic safety guarantees for humanitarian operations.
South Sudan’s Dangerous Environment
South Sudan is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous countries for aid workers globally. In 2023, South Sudan was at the top of this list (reliefweb.int). The humanitarian crisis in the country is worsening due to increasing needs, difficulties in accessing affected areas, and a lack of funding (reliefweb.int).
South Sudan: Most Dangerous for Aid Workers
This visualization highlights South Sudan's critical position as the most hazardous environment for humanitarian aid workers globally.
The ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan has caused more than 220,000 refugees, returnees, and third-country nationals to enter South Sudan since April 2023 (reliefweb.int). This influx further strains already limited resources and increases tensions. The lack of a safe environment for humanitarian workers significantly impacts vital life-saving support for the most vulnerable people (reliefweb.int). This is especially true as new crises add pressure to an already fragile humanitarian situation.
Impact on Aid Delivery
Insecurity also severely affects the delivery of crucial humanitarian aid, especially food and nutrition supplies. In mid-April 2025, barges carrying 1,000 metric tonnes of food and nutrition supplies for Upper Nile state were forced to turn back because of insecurity (reliefweb.int). Nearly 3,000 additional metric tonnes of supplies are waiting in Bor, a humanitarian cargo hub, for conditions to improve before they can be delivered (reliefweb.int).
The World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF cannot store supplies in advance in insecure areas due to safety concerns and the high value of nutrition supplies (reliefweb.int). Doing so would make health facilities and warehouses vulnerable to looting. This disruption in supply routes will likely lead to increased malnutrition in regions already struggling with food insecurity (reliefweb.int). Children in these areas are particularly vulnerable to these consequences.
Humanitarian Supply Disruptions in South Sudan
This visualization illustrates the significant amount of crucial food and nutrition supplies that have been disrupted or delayed due to insecurity in South Sudan.
Understanding Key Terms
To fully grasp the situation, it is important to understand some key terms. MSF, or Médecins Sans Frontières, is an international humanitarian organization that provides medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. A humanitarian crisis refers to a single event or a series of events that are threatening the health, safety, or well-being of a community or large group of people. An evacuation convoy is a group of vehicles used to transport people from a dangerous area safely. Prepositioning stock means storing supplies in advance in strategic locations to ensure they are available quickly when needed.
The term “targeted attack on humanitarian workers” means that aid workers are deliberately chosen as targets. This can happen for various reasons, including to disrupt aid delivery, to gain ransom, or to exert control over a region. The broader causes or actors behind these attacks are often armed groups operating within the context of ongoing conflict and political instability (msf.org). For example, an MSF staff member was shot dead in Leer county, and an armed group robbed an MSF team in Yei (msf.org). These actions highlight the severe risks faced by those providing essential services.
Geographic and Political Context
Yei River and Morobo counties are located in Central Equatoria State, a region in South Sudan that has experienced significant instability. South Sudan, a country in East-Central Africa, gained independence in 2011 but has since been plagued by civil conflict and inter-communal violence. This ongoing conflict has created a complex and dangerous environment for both its citizens and humanitarian organizations.
The political dynamics often involve various armed groups vying for control and resources. While specific group names are not always provided in reports, the violence is a direct result of this fragmented and unstable political landscape (msf.org). For example, MSF has had to halt activities in Sudan due to violence in Zamzam camp in North Darfur, urging the Rapid Support Forces, Joint Forces, and all armed groups to protect civilians (msf.org). The conflict in Sudan has also led to the destruction and looting of an MSF-supported health facility, showing how warring parties impact medical infrastructure (msf.org).
Impact on Local Communities
The suspension of MSF operations in Yei River and Morobo counties will undoubtedly have a severe impact on healthcare access for local communities. While specific details on these counties are not available, the general situation in South Sudan paints a grim picture. People in South Sudan continue to suffer from poor access to healthcare, economic instability, and repeated violence (doctorswithoutborders.org). In 2022, more than two-thirds of the population needed humanitarian assistance (doctorswithoutborders.org).
Significant cuts to international aid in 2022 are expected to increase the number of people needing humanitarian assistance (doctorswithoutborders.org). The large number of returnees, especially in Upper Nile and Northern Bahr El Ghazal states, has already overwhelmed South Sudan’s humanitarian response (doctorswithoutborders.org). When MSF, a major healthcare provider, suspends operations, it means fewer doctors, nurses, and medical supplies for people who desperately need them. This can lead to preventable diseases spreading, untreated injuries, and increased mortality rates, particularly among vulnerable groups like children and the elderly.
Protective Measures and Resumption Conditions
The available information does not explicitly detail measures taken by South Sudanese authorities or international bodies to protect humanitarian workers. However, MSF consistently calls for protection and unhindered access for aid delivery. For example, MSF urges the Rapid Support Forces, Joint Forces, and all armed groups in North Darfur to protect civilians and ensure that those who wish to flee can do so safely (msf.org). MSF also emphasizes that humanitarian assistance must be increased, access facilitated, and medical care protected to ensure all those in need can access healthcare (msf.org).
The specific criteria or conditions MSF requires to resume operations in Yei River and Morobo counties are not stated, nor is an expected timeline beyond the initial minimum of six weeks. However, it is clear that improved security and guaranteed access are paramount. MSF continues to seek ways to help people without exposing staff to unacceptable risks (msf.org). Incidents like the robbery of staff and the burning of vehicles undermine MSF’s ability to provide medical care (msf.org). Therefore, a significant reduction in violence and a commitment from all parties to respect humanitarian principles would be essential for MSF to return.
Broader Humanitarian Response
The provided information lacks specific details on how other aid organizations are responding to the security challenges or if there is a coordinated strategy to address the escalating risks. However, the entire humanitarian response in South Sudan is under immense strain. MSF provides a range of healthcare services in South Sudan, including basic and specialist care, and sends mobile teams to assist displaced people and remote communities (doctorswithoutborders.org). This indicates a widespread need for aid across the country.
MSF moved with displaced residents of Agok to continue responding to their needs, supporting services in Ameth-Bek hospital in Abyei, and providing medical assistance in Twic county (msf.org). This suggests that aid organizations are adapting to the fluid security situation, but it does not necessarily point to a unified, coordinated strategy among all actors. The humanitarian response in South Sudan is already overwhelmed, especially due to the influx of returnees from Sudan (doctorswithoutborders.org). This implies a general strain on all aid efforts, making a coordinated approach even more critical to maximize impact and minimize risks.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.
