South Sudan’s military and opposition forces are restricting humanitarian access and issuing sweeping evacuation orders that have forced hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes, Human Rights Watch said Monday.

Since late 2025, both sides have issued multiple directives — at least three each — ordering civilians to leave populated areas, often without clear justification.

“Repeated pressure from both South Sudanese authorities and opposition forces on civilians to evacuate populated areas is placing hundreds of thousands of people in harm’s way,” said Nyagoah Tut Pur, South Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Warring parties should not force people to flee toward further danger and destitution and are obligated to protect civilians whether or not they evacuate areas of military operations.”

Fighting between government forces — including the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) — and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), along with allied groups, has intensified since December 2025 in Jonglei state. At least 280,000 people have been displaced, according to the rights group.

Many fled government bombardments, feared abuses by both sides or complied with evacuation orders.

Human Rights Watch, citing humanitarian agencies, U.N. experts and media reports, said government forces carried out indiscriminate aerial bombardments in areas where evacuations had been ordered. Both sides have allegedly committed abuses, including killings, rape, looting and the destruction of civilian property — acts that may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity.

On Dec. 29, 2025, government forces bombarded Lankien town in Nyirol county, an opposition-held area, hitting an airstrip and a nearby market. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said 11 civilians were killed and 12 others, including children and elderly people, were injured.

The military has issued several evacuation orders. On Jan. 25, it told civilians, aid workers and U.N. personnel to leave opposition-controlled areas in Nyirol, Uror and Akobo counties, following a narrower Dec. 30 directive to vacate areas near military sites.

On March 6, authorities ordered civilians to leave Akobo County. Most residents fled, including about 110,000 who crossed into neighboring Ethiopia, while aid agencies withdrew.

In Upper Nile state, the Nasir County commissioner on March 15 ordered civilians and aid workers in Mandeng town and surrounding villages to relocate within 72 hours, warning the area would be targeted in a government offensive. A similar order had been issued March 1.

Opposition forces have also issued evacuation directives. On Dec. 27, 2025, the SPLA-IO warned civilians in northern Jonglei to move to opposition-held towns such as Pieri, Motot and Palony, and advised residents to remain indoors during shelling.

Additional orders followed in January, including a 72-hour evacuation notice in Ayod county on Jan. 8 and subsequent directives covering areas such as Bor, Duk and Poktap.

Under international humanitarian law, parties to a conflict may only order civilian displacement if required for their safety or imperative military reasons. Even then, such measures must be temporary and allow civilians to return once hostilities end. Civilians who remain retain full legal protection and may not be targeted.

Humanitarian operations have also come under attack or restriction.

On Feb. 3, government bombardments struck an MSF hospital in Lankien, injuring a staff member and destroying medical supplies. The same day, armed fighters looted an MSF facility in Pieri, Uror county.

The U.N. children’s agency said at least 28 health and nutrition facilities were forced to suspend operations and 17 incidents of looting of aid supplies were recorded between January and March.

The government has imposed significant access constraints, including a no-fly zone over opposition-held areas in early 2026, blocking delivery of critical supplies and medical evacuations, according to the U.N. and MSF.

Authorities on both sides have also issued conflicting directives that restrict aid delivery. In Upper Nile’s Ulang county, rival officials threatened aid agencies with penalties depending on where they operated.

Displaced civilians face dire conditions. In Nyatim, Nyirol county, about 3,000 people sheltering in swamp areas lack food and medical care, with aid blocked. MSF reported at least 58 deaths over a four-week period. Several conflict-affected areas are at risk of famine.

International humanitarian law requires all parties to allow and facilitate humanitarian assistance.

“South Sudan’s authorities appear to be instrumentalizing aid access to meet their own agenda, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians in desperate need,” Pur said. “International and regional actors should ensure accountability for the man-made humanitarian crisis and ongoing attacks on civilians and aid restrictions.”  Radio Tamazuj