Airstrike Devastates MSF Hospital in South Sudan’s Jonglei, Raising Fears of Escalating Conflict

A hospital operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Lankien, South Sudan, was struck by a government air attack late Tuesday, marking the tenth assault on an MSF medical facility in the country within a year. The strike occurred amid intensifying clashes between government troops and opposition forces in Jonglei state, one of the regions hardest hit by renewed conflict.

Hospital Evacuated Before Strike, but Key Supplies Destroyed

MSF confirmed that the hospital had been fully evacuated and patients discharged hours before the attack after receiving credible information about a possible strike. Despite the precaution, one MSF staff member sustained minor injuries. The hospital’s main warehouse was destroyed, resulting in the loss of most critical medical supplies needed to serve the region’s vulnerable population.

The Lankien facility, along with another MSF health centre in Pieri—looted earlier the same day by unidentified assailants—served approximately 250,000 people in an area already facing severe shortages of food, medicine, and humanitarian access. MSF said both facilities are now effectively non‑operational, leaving local communities without essential healthcare.

MSF: Coordinates Shared, Government-Only Actor Capable of Airstrikes

Gul Badshah, MSF’s operations manager in South Sudan, stressed that the organisation had shared GPS coordinates of all its facilities with the government and other parties to the conflict, receiving confirmation that all sides were aware of their locations. He noted that the South Sudanese armed forces are the only group in the country with the capability to conduct aerial attacks.

Government spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny and army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang did not respond to media requests for comment.

Humanitarian Access Restricted as Conflict Intensifies

The attack follows a December decision by the South Sudanese government to restrict humanitarian access to opposition‑held areas in Jonglei, limiting MSF’s ability to deliver life‑saving medical assistance. MSF has warned that continued obstruction of humanitarian operations will cost civilian lives.

The United Nations estimates that between December and this week, approximately 280,000 people have been displaced by fighting and aerial bombardments in Jonglei alone. The region remains one of the most food‑insecure parts of the country, with widespread health needs exacerbated by conflict and displacement.

Wider Conflict Context: Rising Violence and Civilian Risk

Jonglei has seen some of the fiercest fighting in recent months as government forces attempt to halt advances by opposition groups, including factions loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army‑in‑Opposition (SPLA‑IO). The escalation has raised fears of a return to large‑scale civil war in Africa’s youngest nation.

In late January, the army launched “Operation Enduring Peace,” ordering civilians and aid groups to evacuate several counties ahead of military operations. Humanitarian organisations have expressed alarm over rhetoric from some military commanders encouraging violence against civilians, prompting condemnation from the United Nations.

MSF: ‘Unacceptable’ Targeting of Medical Facilities

MSF, which has worked in the region for more than four decades, condemned the repeated targeting of its facilities. The organisation reported eight targeted attacks last year alone, forcing the closure of two hospitals in the Greater Upper Nile region and the suspension of healthcare activities across multiple states.

“While we are aware of the enormous needs in the country, we find it unacceptable to be a target for attacks,” Badshah said, adding that MSF will take necessary steps to protect its staff and facilities.