JUBA – Western embassies and the European Union on Monday condemned the bombing of a hospital run by medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and other civilian sites in South Sudan’s Jonglei State, which resulted in deaths and injuries.
In a joint statement, the embassies of Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the EU delegation, expressed their condemnation of the aerial bombardment in Fangak County.
The statement followed a Saturday morning airstrike by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) that MSF said killed four people and injured 25.
The bombing occurred against a backdrop of increasing tensions in parts of South Sudan, particularly the Upper Nile region. Last week, the government in Juba classified Fangak as a “hostile” area.
“We echo the African Union Commission Chairperson’s call for accountability,” the Western powers and the EU said. “All parties share responsibility to end the violence in all parts of the country and to protect both civilians and aid workers.”
The statement urged South Sudan’s leaders to prioritize the needs of their people.
The airstrike took place a day after army spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang alleged that SPLA-IO fighters and the White Army had hijacked several vessels, including one belonging to the United Nations, in Fangak and Leer counties.
Lul had warned of “punitive aerial and riverine actions” if the vessels were not released.
