Nasir in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state, was once a vibrant town, a place where families farmed, children played, and life moved at an easy pace along the banks of the Sobat River. When conflict erupted, that changed almost overnight.
In early 2025, armed clashes spread rapidly, forcing families to flee. Homes were abandoned. Livelihoods collapsed. Women, children, and the elderly bore the heaviest burden. And Nasir became a ghost town.
Many residents fled across the border to Ethiopia’s Gambella region. Others dispersed into remote villages deep inside the country, seeking safety wherever they could find it. Countless lives were lost.
Now, a fragile calm is returning. Families are slowly making their way back, with little more than the determination to rebuild. But what greets them is a town stripped of basic services — broken boreholes, limited healthcare, and infrastructure left in ruins.
To support their return, peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), with force protection from the Rwandan contingent, have shored up patrols in Nasir. Their presence offers reassurance to communities that have endured great suffering.
During one recent patrol, the UN team met with local authorities to assess conditions on the ground. County Commissioner Changkouth Ruon Lal spoke of a changed dynamic between civilians and security actors.
“The relationship between civilians and uniformed personnel is improving,” he said. “This has led to communities slowly regaining their confidence and beginning to retrace their steps back to Nasir.”
Deputy Coordinator for the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), Changkouth Wiyoul, described the scale of returns. His office has already registered over 5,000 returnees arriving from Ethiopia and from displacement sites across neighboring Jonglei state, and needs are urgent.
“People are facing severe shortages of medical supplies and clean water,” Mr Wiyoul said. “All boreholes were damaged during conflict, while seven health facilities that once served this area were affected by reduced humanitarian funding.”
He called on humanitarian partners to step up aid before conditions deteriorate further.
The road towards stability for Nasir will not be easy. But families are cautiously returning, not because problems are resolved, but because home matters. With renewed peace efforts, improved civil-military relations, and the support of humanitarian partners, the town has a chance to rebuild.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
