JUBA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Friday warned of a grave protection crisis in South Sudan's eastern Jonglei state, where months of relentless fighting and insecurity have forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.

According to the UN refugee agency, around 140,000 people have been displaced in Jonglei State's Akobo County alone, while more than 300,000 have been uprooted across Jonglei and neighboring states since December 2025.

Around 100,000 people have fled into neighboring Ethiopia in search of safety, it said, noting that population movements are highly fluid and unstable.

"Displaced families in Akobo and surrounding areas will become even more isolated as heavy rains intensify, disease risks grow and relief operations become increasingly difficult," the UNHCR said.

Since gaining independence in 2011, the country has endured successive waves of armed conflict, mass displacement and severe climate shocks.

According to the UNHCR, about 2.4 million South Sudanese refugees live in neighboring countries, and nearly two million are displaced internally.

South Sudan has also received over 1.3 million people fleeing the war in Sudan since April 2023, including returning citizens, refugees and asylum-seekers. ■