A young herdsman poses with a semi-automatic weapon. | Credit | AFP

At least 1,600 people were killed and nearly 1,000 others injured during a countrywide surge in violence from January to December 2022, a new report by the UN Mission in South Sudan revealed.

On Friday, UNMISS released its human rights Annual Brief on Violence Affecting Civilians that shows a two percent increase in the number of civilians harmed across South Sudan last year.

The peacekeeping mission registered at least 3,469 civilian victims across the country; with 1,600 killed, 988 injured, 501 others abducted and 380 others subjected to conflict-related sexual violence.

This was despite a 27 percent decrease in the overall number of documented violent incidents compared to the previous year (714 in 2022 and 982 in 2021).

The brief reveals that while the number of violent incidents attributed to the parties to the conflict declined by 37 per cent in comparison to 2021, the number of victims increased by 58 per cent.

The number of violent incidents attributed to community-based militias also declined by 27 per cent (from 531 to 387) and the number of victims decreased by 28 per cent (from 2,279 to 1,642) in comparison to 2021.

The report underscores that 2022 was marked by three distinct surges of violence: the vicious violence in southern Unity State between April and May, the violence in Warrap between July and September, and the violence in Upper Nile and Jonglei between August and December.

It says 42 percent of the victims in the violent conflict were located in Upper Nile and Warrap states, while Jonglei, Unity, Eastern Equatoria and Central Equatoria states collectively accounted for approximately 50 percent of victims.

According to the brief, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei and Warrap states were mostly affected by violence involving community-based militias and/or civil defense groups.

Upper Nile and Unity States, for their part, were impacted by parties to the conflict and their proxy elements and/or affiliated militia groups, the UN agency indicates.

Central Equatoria state suffered from both inter-communal violence in Juba and Terekeka counties, and by the parties to the conflict in Yei, Morobo, and Lainya.

Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of UNMISS called on the government to prosecute those accused of human rights violations across the country.

“UNMISS calls on the Government of South Sudan to demonstrate political will and step up efforts against impunity, investigate human rights violations and abuses and hold perpetrators accountable, particularly as deadly violence remains an issue of grave concern in parts of the country,” Haysom said in the brief.

The UN Peacekeeping mission also urges all South Sudanese parties to focus on the prospects for sustainable peace, security, and peaceful, fair and inclusive elections.