Medical Charity, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has suspended all activities in South Sudan’s Yei River and Morobo counties for at least six weeks following the abduction of one of its staff members—just four days after a similar abduction involving South Sudan’s health ministry staff.
The latest incident occurred during an evacuation of MSF workers from Morobo amid deteriorating security conditions. Armed gunmen stopped a convoy of four vehicles, abducting the team leader before releasing him hours later.
MSF condemned the attack, calling it part of a “disturbing trend” of escalating violence against aid workers and healthcare facilities in the region. Seven abductions of aid workers have occurred in Morobo in the past three months, alongside arson, looting, and infrastructure damage.
“We are outraged by this targeted attack,” said Dr. Ferdinand Atte, MSF’s Head of Mission in South Sudan. “We cannot keep our staff working in an unsafe environment.”
This marks the second time MSF has scaled back operations in the area this year, following a reduction in May due to insecurity. The group also halted all activities in IDP camps in Morobo due to ongoing violence.
MSF was providing vital healthcare services in the area, including outpatient care, vaccinations, maternal health, and mobile clinics, with over 14,000 consultations and 400 deliveries recorded between January and June 2025.
MSF is demanding urgent protection guarantees from authorities and armed groups before resuming operations.
The attack is part of a broader pattern of violence against healthcare providers across South Sudan. MSF has faced attacks in Upper Nile and Jonglei states this year, including a hospital bombing in May and a looting in April that left over 150,000 people without care.
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