UN Staff Member Found Dead in South Sudan After Detention by Soldiers

A UN staff member, Bol Roch Mayol, was found dead in South Sudan days after being taken into custody by soldiers. Three army personnel have been arrested and admitted to the killing. UNMISS is investigating the circumstances, while the motive remains unknown amid rising violence against aid workers in the country.

A United Nations staff member was found dead in South Sudan days after being taken into custody by South Sudanese security personnel, the UN confirmed.

Bol Roch Mayol, a South Sudanese national and language assistant with the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) since 2011, was taken from a UN vehicle by five soldiers on Monday during a routine patrol to a displacement camp near the northern town of Wau. His vehicle had stopped on the roadside due to a flat tire.

Authorities later arrested Army Lt. Lino Mariak Chol and two other soldiers, who admitted to the killing and disclosed the location of Mayol’s body. The body was discovered in a residential area on Thursday, according to police spokesman Saninto Udol.

“We are devastated by the loss of our colleague,” said Anita Kiki Gbeho, head of UNMISS, emphasizing that the killing is “unacceptable” and calling for an immediate and thorough investigation to hold those responsible accountable. UNMISS spokesperson Priyanka Chowdhury said the mission is working with authorities to establish the exact circumstances of Mayol’s death and noted there is no indication the killing was ordered or orchestrated.

Following his arrest, UN officials contacted army commanders to inquire about Mayol’s whereabouts and were allowed to tour army detention facilities in Wau. The South Sudanese army has not yet commented publicly, and a motive for the killing has not been determined.

South Sudan is considered one of the most dangerous countries for aid workers, with attacks and abductions on the rise in 2025. The majority of victims are South Sudanese nationals. UNMISS is currently scaling down operations due to a 15% budget cut, amid a resurgence of fighting that has left more than 1,000 civilians dead, including victims of indiscriminate bombings and extrajudicial killings by security personnel, according to the UN Human Rights Office.