By Lodu William Odiya
South Sudan’s military and opposition forces are blocking humanitarian access and unjustifiably ordering civilians to evacuate populated areas, Human Rights Watch said.
According to Human Right Watch, since late 2025, the military has issued multiple evacuation orders, at least three of them sweeping in nature and the opposition forces at least three, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee.
“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” the statement partly read.
“Warring parties should not force people to flee towards further danger and destitution and are obligated to protect civilians whether or not they evacuate areas of military operations,” it continued.
They emphasized that at least 280,000 people have been displaced, many fleeing government bombardments, fearing government and opposition forces abuses, or following evacuation orders.
“Under international humanitarian law, also known as the laws of war, parties to a non-international armed conflict may not order the displacement of civilians for reasons related to the conflict unless the security of the civilians involved or imperative military reasons demand it,” the statement further continued.
According to the Right Watch, for an evacuation order to be lawful the displacement must be necessary, not issued for military convenience or advantage, temporary, and civilians must be able to return once hostilities end.
Those ordering an evacuation need to ensure that displacement protections are in place and that displacement occurs in a manner consistent with returning the population after the threat is no longer present and consistent with the protection of the civilians’ human rights.