Amnesty International Accuses UN and South Sudan of Massacre Negligence
Amnesty International reports that UN peacekeepers and South Sudanese authorities failed to prevent a March 1 massacre in Abiemnom that killed at least 213 people.
A report released by Amnesty International on November 12, 2026, alleges that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and South Sudanese authorities failed to prevent a massacre in Abiemnom on March 1. Between 1,000 and 1,500 armed Nuer men from Mayom County launched a four-hour assault, killing at least 213 people, including 130 residents, 76 security personnel, and seven foreign nationals. The attackers also looted a hospital and burned more than 230 structures.
The organization asserts that both the government and UNMISS received intelligence regarding the imminent attack at least two weeks in advance but failed to take effective preventive measures. Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International's Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, stated that the failure to act cost lives and demanded an independent, impartial investigation to end a cycle of impunity.
UNMISS spokesperson Priyanka Chowdhury defended the mission's response, citing budget cuts and reduced personnel. She noted that the mission prioritized protecting 2,500 civilians who had already sought refuge at its base. This resource constraint follows a decision by the United Nations Security Council to reduce the UNMISS troop ceiling from 17,000 to 12,000. The Government of South Sudan has not responded to requests for comment regarding the findings.
