SOUTH SUDAN: Civilians Killed As SSPDF Airstrikes Target MSF Hospital In Old Fangak

By Deborah Akur Chol, South Sudan

The humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), widely recognized as Doctors Without Borders, reported a devastating airstrike by SSPDF planes on its hospital located in Old Fangak Town, Jonglei State, early Saturday morning.

The attack resulted in multiple casualties, including fatalities and injuries among civilians.

This assault coincides with escalating tensions throughout South Sudan, particularly in the Upper Nile region, which has intensified since the beginning of the year. Last week, Fangak was designated a “hostile” area by the government in Juba.

The airstrike followed a statement from army spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, indicating that military intelligence had received reports of hijacked vesselslncluding barges belonging to the United Nations and a Sudanese businessman allegedly by SPLA-IO fighters and the White Army in the Fangak and Leer counties of Jonglei and Unity states.

Mamman Mustapha, the MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan, condemned the airstrike, emphasizing the critical role that the hospital played. “This facility served as the sole source of lifesaving care for over 40,000 people. Attacks on medical facilities are intolerable and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law,” he stated. Mustapha called upon all factions involved in the conflict to prioritize the safety of civilians and the integrity of healthcare services.

Fangak County Commissioner Biel Boutrus Biel reported that the attack occurred around 4 a.m. on Saturday, involving two gunships, a drone, and an additional aircraft. “The gunships struck Old Fangak, a populated civilian area, displacing over 30,000 residents. These aircraft are part of the Government of South Sudan’s arsenal,” Biel asserted. “A statement from SSPDF Spokesperson Gen. Lul Ruai indicated that they plan to target Fangak County and surrounding areas like Leer County. This morning’s actions confirm that intention.”

Images from Old Fangak depicted the MSF hospital engulfed in flames post-airstrike. Biel reported initial findings of at least four fatalities, including a 9-month-old boy, a woman, and two young men. He confirmed that the MSF facility had sustained significant damage, particularly its pharmacy, which was entirely destroyed.

“They obliterated the only health facility available for civilian patients. Currently, we’ve recorded 25 injured individuals, some of whom are in critical condition,” he lamented. “We are still collating information on the casualties, and a final report will follow.”

Biel questioned the morality of the government’s actions, accusing it of attacking civilians using national resources. “The people of Fangak, like others across South Sudan, are targeted because they are Nuer, reflecting the government’s misguided belief that they are aligned with the SPLM-IO political faction and its armed wing,” he stated. “Fangak is among nine Nuer counties labeled as hostile by Cabinet Affairs Minister Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, and that categorization has now resulted in violence.”

Biel appealed to the government to cease its military actions against South Sudanese citizens based on ethnic identity, asserting the need for international intervention. “What is the world waiting for? This is genocide, aimed at the Nuer people because of their identity and political beliefs aligned with SPLM-IO.”

He further argued that the profiling of the Nuer community by Minister Lomuro constitutes genocidal behavior. “If the international community does not intervene promptly, we may face tragic consequences akin to the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, which we are desperate to avoid.”

Ter Manyang, a civil society activist and Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), emphasized the necessity of dialogue, warning that the assault on Fangak exacerbates distrust toward the 2018 peace agreement.

“The urgent need is for reconciliation and genuine communication to bridge the divides and halt the ongoing violence that endangers civilian lives,” Manyang stated.