Friday, April 17, 2026 | Author – Alex Onyango | Nairobi-Kenya | Photo: © IOM / Liatile Putsoa | GT-News |
Reports of human remains uncovered during road construction in South Sudan’s Jonglei State have raised fears that the true scale of recent and past violence may be far greater than previously known.
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan says the discoveries, made in conflict-affected areas, could point to unmarked burial sites linked to earlier fighting. While initial information suggests the remains may belong to combatants, investigators have not ruled out the possibility that civilians are among the dead.
The findings come as clashes intensify once again in parts of the country, particularly around the town of Akobo, where control has reportedly shifted between government forces and opposition fighters in recent days.
“These reports are deeply troubling,” said Yasmin Sooka, chair of the UN Commission. “The possibility that victims may be buried in unmarked sites points to a disturbing reality — one in which the full extent of suffering is being hidden.”
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, has struggled to emerge from years of civil war despite a 2018 peace agreement intended to end large-scale conflict. Periodic violence has continued, often along political and ethnic lines, with civilians bearing the brunt.
The Commission says the burial sites must now be treated as potential crime scenes and handled with extreme care. It has called for the areas to be secured and for independent forensic investigations to be carried out in line with international standards, including the Minnesota Protocol, which governs inquiries into potentially unlawful deaths.
Experts warn that failure to properly preserve the sites could result in the loss of crucial evidence — making it harder to establish how the victims died and who may be responsible.
“When conflict intensifies with limited transparency and weak accountability, there is a real risk that serious violations are occurring beyond public view,” said Commissioner Barney Afako.
The UN body also stressed that families have a right to know what happened to missing relatives and to have their remains identified and treated with dignity.
“These are not discretionary obligations but binding duties under international law,” said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Fernández.
The Commission has urged South Sudanese authorities to allow access to independent investigators and international experts, warning that failure to act could deepen a culture of impunity.
For many in Jonglei and other conflict-affected regions, the reported discoveries are a stark reminder that the legacy of violence in South Sudan may still lie buried — and unresolved.
