South Sudanese helicopter gunships bombed a hospital and a market, killing seven people and injuring twenty more, raising concerns that the country is reverting to civil war. The attack destroyed the hospital’s pharmacy and medical supplies, leaving 110,000 people without access to healthcare. Local officials blamed government forces for the bombing that displaced over 30,000 civilians.
Local healthcare is devastated after a hospital bombing
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that helicopter gunships bombed the pharmacy at their hospital in Old Fangak, Jonglei state, on Friday. Witnesses reported that the aircraft fired on the town for about 30 minutes before a drone bombed a nearby market. The attack destroyed all medical supplies at the facility, which was the only hospital in Fangak county serving over 110,000 people. This devastating loss of healthcare infrastructure makes the local population extremely vulnerable.
MSF emphasized that the hospital was clearly marked with their logo, and that its coordinates had been shared with all warring parties, as is customary in conflict areas. Despite these precautions, the facility was targeted in what the organization has described as a serious violation of international protocols designed to protect medical facilities during conflict.
#UAE is being accused of smuggling weapons and treating wounded RSF soldiers in Madol field hospital in South Sudan bordering East Darfur state. The hospital was inaugurated on March 10th 2025. Juba govt officially denied these allegations. #SSoT #SSoX #KeepEyesOnSudan pic.twitter.com/AR72b7Ffms
— Horn News 24 (@Ivadleber) April 30, 2025
Growing Political Tensions
The hospital bombing occurs against a backdrop of deteriorating political stability in South Sudan. Tensions have escalated dramatically between President Salva Kiir and Vice President Riek Machar, threatening the fragile peace that has existed since 2018. Machar was placed under house arrest in March, accused of inciting rebellion. This move has heightened fears of renewed ethnic conflict, particularly between the Dinka and Nuer tribes, which fueled the devastating civil war that began in 2013.
The head of South Sudan’s army recently promised punitive strikes after river barges were hijacked, blaming a militia linked to Machar. Additionally, the government has released a list of counties it considers hostile, raising concerns about targeted military operations against civilian populations in these areas. These developments indicate a dangerous deterioration in the country’s security situation.
Today, MSF’s hospital in Old Fangak, South Sudan, was bombed.
The pharmacy was destroyed. All medical supplies lost. There are reports of people killed and injured.#SSOX #SouthSudan pic.twitter.com/k6DnSqUDFf
— Gattuak Luak Jr 🇸🇸 (@Gattuakluakjr) May 3, 2025
International Response and Humanitarian Crisis
Biel Boutros Biel, the Fangak County Commissioner, has directly accused government forces of carrying out the attack, which he claims has displaced more than 30,000 civilians. The county is predominantly populated by Nuer people, who are associated with Machar’s opposition party, suggesting possible ethnic motivations behind the targeting. International embassies and the European Union have expressed grave concern over South Sudan’s rapidly deteriorating security situation.
Several countries have issued a joint statement calling for restraint, stating, “All parties must end the use of violence as a political tool.” They have also called for Machar’s release from house arrest. Rights groups are urging the South Sudanese military to cease bombing civilian areas immediately. MSF noted that this was the second attack on its facilities in less than a month, highlighting the increasingly dangerous conditions for humanitarian operations.
Conflict’s context
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of conflict but quickly descended into civil war in 2013. That conflict resulted in approximately 400,000 deaths and displaced 2.5 million people. A 2018 peace deal established a unity government, but promised elections have not materialized, and numerous militias remain active throughout the country. The current crisis began with clashes between the White Army militia and government forces in Upper Nile state.
South Sudan continues to face one of the world’s most severe refugee crises, with millions displaced internally and in neighboring countries. The bombing of essential medical infrastructure further worsens an already dire humanitarian situation. As tensions continue to rise between government forces and opposition groups, the international community watches with growing concern that South Sudan may be sliding back into full-scale civil war.