BOR — At least six civilians were injured in a Tuesday night airstrike conducted in Pathai Payam of Uror County in South Sudan’s Jonglei State, according to a local source who visited the victims at a hospital in Lankien town in neighbouring Nyirol County.
The strike occurred at around 8:40 p.m. on January 13, 2026, while residents were asleep in their homes. The victims — three elderly men and three young men — sustained severe burn injuries and trauma and are currently receiving treatment.
“Last night, a serious aerial attack targeted civilians in Pathai Payam, causing severe injuries,” said the source who spoke on condition of anonymity. “I have personally visited the hospital in Nyirol County to verify the situation and speak with victims and their caretakers. This report is based on first-hand observation and direct interviews.”
Several homes in the area were also reportedly burned during the strike. Victims and family members said there was no fighting or presence of armed groups in the area at the time of the attack.
“The victims were asleep in their homes when the strike occurred,” said the source. “Victims and caretakers confirmed there was no fighting or armed presence at the time.”
Local sources alleged that the airstrike was carried out by a Ugandan aircraft operating under the command of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), though this claim could not be independently verified. There was no immediate comment from the SSPDF or the Ugandan military regarding the allegation.
The airstrike was first reported by Pal Mai Deng, the SPLM-IO Spokesperson and Chairperson of the National Committee for Information and Communication.
“In Pathai Payam of Uror County, civilians were bombed with chemicals last night, and several of them were wounded. The wounded were taken to MSF hospital in Lankien in the morning today [Wednesday],” he said Wednesday.
When contacted for comments, MSF Field Communications Manager, Alexandra “Sasha” Sadokova, said the organisation did not explicitly confirm receiving survivors directly linked to this attack, citing the technical inability of the organisation to verify what weapons were used in an attack.
“MSF has no capacity or expertise to investigate if a certain type of weapons were used in combat, hence we cannot comment on such claims,” said Sasha.
Medical workers treating the injured described their condition as serious but stable. Families of the victims expressed fear that further attacks could occur and called for urgent protection of civilians in the area.
Local observers and hospital staff have called for an independent investigation into the incident. They are also urging authorities and humanitarian partners to provide additional medical and psychosocial support to survivors and affected families.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over civilian safety in Jonglei, where communities have repeatedly reported exposure to violence despite the absence of active front-line fighting in some rural areas.
International humanitarian law prohibits deliberate or indiscriminate attacks on civilians. The government has used airstrikes as a deterrence measure against rebellions since March 2025, but civilians repeatedly got caught up in their operations, ushering humanitarian catastrophe.
