The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights deplores the indiscriminate killing of civilians in a food aid trap in Pankor, Ayod County, in the Republic of South Sudan.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission), through the Country Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Republic of South Sudan, Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso, follows with concern recent developments related to the indiscriminate killing of civilians in South Sudan.
The Commission has learned with utmost alarm from reports reaching it that on Saturday, 21 February 2026, the government-allied South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) lured villagers from their homes with the promise of humanitarian food aid before opening fire on them, killing at least 25 civilians, including women and children.
The Commission also deplores the deliberate targeting of civilians, especially under the guise of humanitarian assistance. Such actions not only amount to extrajudicial killings but also represent a betrayal of the fundamental duty of the state to protect its citizens.
The Commission strongly condemns the use of deception, mobilising civilians with promises of food aid, which adds a particularly egregious dimension to this atrocity. It weaponises humanitarian need against vulnerable populations, thereby violating both international humanitarian law and the principles of human rights protection in contravention of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter).
The Commission recalls that, under the African Charter, the State bears primary responsibility not only for violations directly attributable to it, but also for violations arising from its failure to protect citizens from violent acts, particularly those committed by armed forces.
Furthermore, the Commission reiterates that this indiscriminate attack directed at civilians constitutes grave violations of the fundamental rights enshrined in the African Charter, particularly the right to life (Article 4), the right to dignity (Article 5), and the right to personal liberty (Article 6).
In view of the foregoing, the African Commission calls upon South Sudan, as a state party to the African Charter, to take the following actions:
1. Launch an independent, transparent, and impartial investigation into the indiscriminate killings, through lawful and transparent means;
2. Publicly and unequivocally condemn all forms of violence by military actors and take steps to prevent such conduct from recurring;
3. Ensure that perpetrators, regardless of rank or affiliation, are held accountable through fair judicial processes, provide immediate reparations and psychosocial support to the families of the victims and guarantee their unimpeded humanitarian access;
4. Guarantee the protection of civilians in conflict‑affected areas, particularly women and children who remain disproportionately vulnerable; and
5.Urgently implement an unconditional cessation of hostilities and commit to an inclusive national dialogue to halt the country’s descent back to full-scale war, currently underway.
The African Commission will continue to monitor the situation closely and avails itself to engage with the Government of South Sudan to assist and ensure that effective steps are taken to implement the foregoing and related measures to end violence against civilians and the attendant human rights violations.
Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso, PhD
Country Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Republic of South Sudan
Done this 27th day of February 2026
