{"id":92448,"date":"2026-04-25T13:32:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T13:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves"},"modified":"2026-04-25T13:42:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T13:42:55","slug":"un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves","title":{"rendered":"UN Urges Investigation of Jonglei Mass Graves"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Africa-Press &#8211; South-Sudan. <\/strong><\/span>The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on Friday expressed grave concern over reports that bodies have been uncovered in Jonglei State during recent road works, warning that the true human cost of the country\u2019s renewed violence may be far greater than currently known.<\/p>\n<p>According to a press release extended to Radio Tamazuj, the Commission says initial information suggests that the remains may be those of combatants killed during earlier fighting. However, the circumstances surrounding their deaths and burial remain unclear. The reports emerge amid renewed conflict in the country, including intense fighting around Akobo in recent days, where control of territory has reportedly shifted between South Sudan People\u2019s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and SPLA-IO elements.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese reports are deeply troubling. The discovery of human remains in a conflict-affected area is always a matter of serious concern,\u201d said Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission. \u201cWhile the facts are still emerging, it is essential that these sites are handled with care and in accordance with proper procedures to establish the truth about what occurred.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe possibility that victims may be buried in unmarked sites points to an even more disturbing reality \u2014 one in which the full extent of suffering is being hidden,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<p>The Commission stressed that any such sites must be secured and preserved for independent, impartial, and professional investigation, including appropriate forensic examination, in line with international standards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cProper handling of burial sites is critical not only for establishing accountability, but also for preserving forensic evidence,\u201d said Commissioner Barney Afako. \u201cFailure to follow due process risks losing vital information about the circumstances in which these individuals died.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen conflict intensifies in this way, with limited transparency and weak accountability, there is a real risk that serious violations are occurring beyond public view. This is precisely the moment for urgent political intervention.\u201d He stressed.<\/p>\n<p>The Commission warned that the resumption of hostilities reflects a broader breakdown of the peace agreement and a return to patterns of violence that have historically led to mass atrocities.<\/p>\n<p>The Commission also emphasized that the discovery of graves linked to conflict raises serious concerns under international humanitarian and human rights law and requires prompt, independent, and impartial investigation. It underscored families\u2019 rights to know the fate of their relatives and to have their dignity respected.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFamilies have the right to know the fate and whereabouts of their relatives, and to have their remains treated with dignity,\u201d said Commissioner Carlos Castresana Ferna\u0301ndez. \u201cAll efforts must be made to ensure that remains are identified where possible and that investigations are conducted transparently and in accordance with international law. It will be essential to secure the sites, conduct proper forensic investigations, and ensure that those responsible are identified and held accountable. Failure to do so risks entrenching impunity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Commission called on the relevant authorities to ensure that proper procedures are followed and to facilitate any necessary independent verification.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For More News And Analysis About <span style=\"color: #ff6600\">South-Sudan<\/span> Follow <span style=\"color: #ff6600\">Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Africa-Press &#8211; South-Sudan. The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on Friday expressed grave concern over reports that bodies have been uncovered in Jonglei State during recent road works, warning that the true human cost of the country\u2019s renewed violence may be far greater than currently known. According to a press release extended [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":92447,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,12],"tags":[233],"class_list":["post-92448","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-south-sudan"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UN Urges Investigation of Jonglei Mass Graves - South Sudan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on Friday expressed grave concern over reports that bodies have been un ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UN Urges Investigation of Jonglei Mass Graves\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan on Friday expressed grave concern over reports that bodies have been un ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"South Sudan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-25T13:32:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-25T13:42:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/sites\/32\/2026\/04\/sm_1777111840.262231.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"UN Urges Investigation of Jonglei Mass Graves\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-25T13:32:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-25T13:42:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves\"},\"wordCount\":505,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/sites\/32\/2026\/04\/sm_1777111840.262231.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"South-Sudan\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-sudan\/all-news\/un-urges-investigation-of-jonglei-mass-graves\",\"name\":\"UN Urges Investigation of Jonglei Mass Graves - 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