Intense fighting between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) in Pajut Payam, Duk County, Jonglei State, has displaced more than 30,000 civilians, according to local authorities.

Duk County Commissioner Chatim said on Sunday that residents fled Pajut after recent clashes, now sheltering in nearby areas like Payuel, Padiet, and Poktap.

Humanitarian conditions there are deteriorating rapidly, with the displaced facing severe shortages of clean water, food, and essential medicines.

“So far, more than 30,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Pajut because of the fighting,” Chatim said. “These families are now scattered… and they are facing an extremely dire situation.”

He urgently appealed to humanitarian organizations for immediate intervention to avert further loss of life, particularly among women and children.

The area of Pajut has been largely deserted by civilians.

Some SSPDF soldiers remain at the county headquarters, while reinforcements move toward the front lines.

The clashes follow the SPLA-IO’s announcement on Friday that it captured Pajut, the administrative center of Pajut Payam, after heavy fighting.

The opposition also reported capturing 23 prisoners of war, including senior SSPDF officers.

This incident contributes to broader unrest in northern Jonglei, where renewed violence since late December has displaced over 180,000 people, per official figures and UN warnings.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs notes that hostilities—including airstrikes and militia involvement—have severely strained aid operations and exacerbated food insecurity and flooding.

Residents in Bor, Jonglei’s capital, reported a significant SSPDF military build-up over the weekend, with tanks, pickup trucks, and armed soldiers heading toward Pajut through areas like Jalle, Baidit, and Marol market.

The escalation threatens to deepen South Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, with two-thirds of the population needing aid.

Local officials and international partners continue to call for de-escalation and urgent humanitarian access to support the displaced.