UN staff member found dead in South Sudan after custody by security forces

A United Nations staff member was found dead in South Sudan days after security personnel took him into custody, the U.N. said Friday, as authorities investigate what led to the death.

Bol Roch Mayol, a South Sudanese language assistant who has worked with the U.N. mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) since 2011, was taken from a U.N. vehicle Monday after it stopped for a flat tire during a routine patrol to a displacement camp on the outskirts of the northern town of Wau. The body was discovered in a residential area on Thursday, according to police spokesman Saninto Udol.

Army Lt. Lino Mariak Chol and two other soldiers were arrested after admitting to the killing and disclosing the whereabouts of Mayol’s body, Udol said. The UN confirmed the arrests and said it is cooperating with authorities as it seeks to establish the circumstances surrounding Mayol's death.

We are devastated by the loss of our colleague, Anita Kiki Gbeho, head of the U.N. mission in South Sudan, said in a statement Friday. U.N. spokesperson Priyanka Chowdhury said authorities and UNMISS are trying to determine the exact manner of death and that there are no indications the killing was ordered or orchestrated.

Following Mayol’s arrest, UNMISS said it contacted army commanders about his whereabouts and was invited to tour the army’s detention facilities in Wau, where UN officials could verify conditions and gather information as part of the ongoing inquiry.

The South Sudanese army did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and a motive for the killing has not been established. The incident adds to a long record of danger faced by aid workers in South Sudan, a country that has experienced repeated violence and access restrictions since independence.

A tally of violence against aid workers in 2025 shows a sharp uptick: in the first half of the year, 25 aid workers or contractors were killed or injured, up from 15 during the same period in the previous year, according to United Nations data. The vast majority of victims have been South Sudanese nationals, reflecting the widespread risks on the ground as aid operations try to reach vulnerable populations amid a surge in fighting.

The United States has warned it may cut foreign aid to South Sudan over concerns about government interference with humanitarian work and steep fees imposed on aid groups. The U.S. stance comes as the U.N. and partner agencies grapple with operational constraints and balancing security needs with humanitarian access.

UNMISS is undergoing a scaling-down, reporting a 15% budget cut that affects its footprint at a time when fighting between government and opposition forces has intensified in parts of the country. The resurgence of hostilities has left more than 1,000 civilians dead, with some killed in indiscriminate bombings and reports of extrajudicial killings by security personnel, according to statements from the U.N. Human Rights Office.

The international community has stressed accountability and thorough investigation into Mayol’s death, along with broader concerns about the safety of aid workers and protections for civilians in South Sudan. UNMISS and its partners continue to monitor the security situation and to coordinate with local authorities as they work to ensure access for humanitarian relief and the safety of personnel delivering essential services to displaced and vulnerable communities.