JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — The United Nations Mission in South Sudan said Monday that it would not comply with a government order to shut down its base in Akobo, an opposition stronghold near the Ethiopian border where tens of thousands of refugees have fled. On Friday, the South Sudanese army ordered U.N. peacekeepers as well as humanitarian organizations and civilians to vacate the town ahead of a planned assault. “Any military operations in and around Akobo gravely endanger the safety and security of civilians,” said mission chief Anita Kiki Gbeho. The South Sudanese government has been fighting opposition forces since a 2018 peace deal broke down about a year ago. A dramatic escalation took place in December 2025, when opposition forces seized several government outposts in northern Jonglei.

Source: Ethiopian News March 10, 2026 09:12 UTC