JOINT PRESS RELEASE : More Than 180 New Missing Persons Cases Recorded in South Sudan

(JUBA) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the South Sudan Red Cross (SSRC) have renewed calls for public support in helping families trace missing relatives after documenting more than 180 new cases of missing persons across South Sudan during the first six months of 2026.

According to a joint news release issued ahead of the International Day of the Disappeared, commemorated every year on 30 August, the two organisations reported that the new cases are largely linked to ongoing conflicts in both Sudan and South Sudan. During the same period, they were able to clarify the fate of 188 missing persons from a national caseload of more than 6,200 active cases.

The organizations noted that thousands of families continue to endure uncertainty, trauma, and emotional suffering as they search for relatives who disappeared during years of conflict and violence.

This year’s commemoration is being observed under the theme,“Together in Hope, United in Love.” The day aims to honour families who continue searching for their loved ones and to reinforce the right of families to know the fate and whereabouts of missing relatives.

Speaking in the statement, Daniel Bunnskog, Head of Delegation for the ICRC in South Sudan, said many missing persons disappeared due to prolonged armed conflict, leaving families unable to find closure or rebuild their lives.

“Society can help by continuing to show compassion, empathy, and support towards families struggling to find answers about the fate of missing relatives,” he said.

The Secretary General of the SSRC, John Lobor, urged members of the public to play an active role in the search process by sharing information that could help families find answers.

“The public is part and parcel of the search process; there is a need to join hands to work together and provide the needed answers to the families of the missing,” he said.

The statement also highlighted efforts undertaken by the ICRC and SSRC to support affected families. Following a Family Needs Assessment conducted in 2021, the organisations launched a 10-week psychosocial accompaniment programme that has so far benefited 123 relatives of missing persons across South Sudan. They have also supported the formation of a Families of the Missing association to advocate for the rights of affected families and provide psychosocial and economic support.

In addition, the ICRC continues to provide technical support to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management on the development of a Missing Persons Bill aimed at strengthening national mechanisms for addressing cases of disappearance.

The two organizations reiterated that preventing people from going missing is possible when parties to conflict comply with international humanitarian and human rights laws, while stressing that families have a fundamental right to know the fate of their loved ones.