• Mou Mou
• 04 May, 2025

In a heart-wrenching tragedy, a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital in Old Fangak, South Sudan was bombed in a pre-dawn airstrike on May 3rd, 2025 killing at least seven people including a nine-month-old child and destroying all medical supplies. The attack, reportedly by government forces, has left 40,000 residents without critical healthcare, escalating fears of a humanitarian crisis in the conflict-ravaged region.

Details & Context
The MSF hospital in Old Fangak, located 475 kilometers from Juba was the sole healthcare provider for over 40,000 people including flood-displaced residents in Fangak County, a Nuer-majority region historically tied to opposition leader Riek Machar, now under house arrest. At approximately 4 am on May 3rd, 2025 helicopter gunships and a drone struck the hospital, obliterating its pharmacy and incinerating all medical supplies. Hours later, additional strikes hit a nearby market, causing widespread panic and displacing civilians, many of whom fled through floodwaters.

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The attack is part of a broader government-led offensive against opposition groups, intensified since March 2025 with Ugandan-backed airstrikes targeting Upper Nile State. South Sudan’s fragile peace has unravelled following the collapse of a power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and Machar, raising fears of a return to civil war. The United Nations has warned that the country is “teetering on the brink” of full-scale conflict.

MSF condemned the bombing as a “clear violation of international humanitarian law,” which protects medical facilities in conflict zones. Fangak County Commissioner Biel Butros Biel reported at least seven deaths including a nine-month-old, and 20 injuries, with assessments ongoing. The destruction of the hospital has left the region without functional healthcare, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation marked by flooding, displacement and violence.

Quotes

·      “The pharmacy was destroyed. All medical supplies lost. This was the only functional hospital in the area,” MSF stated on X, urging an end to attacks on civilians and healthcare.

·      “These planes belonged to the government of South Sudan,” said Biel Butros Biel, though the claim awaits verification.

·      “Attacks on medical facilities are unacceptable and a clear violation of international humanitarian law,” said Mamman Mustapha, MSF’s head of mission in Sudan.

·      “Some fled by boat, others on foot into floodwaters,” recounted eyewitness Thomas Mot, describing the chaos following the strikes.

Additional Information
The bombing follows a pattern of attacks on healthcare in South Sudan and Sudan, where over 100 healthcare facilities have been targeted since 2023, according to the World Health Organization. In Sudan, 70-80% of health facilities in conflict zones are non-functional due to violence, looting and supply shortages. The MSF hospital in Old Fangak was a lifeline for a region battered by floods since 2019 and ongoing ethnic and political strife. The attack’s timing, just hours after army chief Paul Majok Nang threatened punitive strikes against Machar-linked militias, suggests a targeted escalation.

No official statement from South Sudan’s military has been released and the motive for targeting the hospital remains unclear. MSF’s spokesperson, speaking anonymously, confirmed the airstrikes’ devastating impact but withheld casualty details pending further investigation. The additional market bombing has compounded fears, with civilians fleeing an area already strained by environmental and political crises.

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Impact Analysis
The destruction of Old Fangak’s only hospital has catastrophic implications. Over 40,000 people including 110,000 in greater Fangak County, now lack access to emergency care, surgeries and basic medical supplies. The loss of the pharmacy means no medications for chronic conditions, infections or trauma care, risking a surge in preventable deaths. Flood-displaced residents, already vulnerable, face heightened disease risks in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions. The attack’s psychological toll, coupled with civilian displacement, deepens the region’s humanitarian crisis.

Globally, the bombing underscores the erosion of protections for medical facilities in conflict zones. International humanitarian law, enshrined in the Geneva Conventions, prohibits attacks on hospitals, yet such violations are increasing from Sudan to Afghanistan. The lack of accountability—evident in past unpunished attacks like the 2015 Kunduz hospital bombing—emboldens further strikes, undermining trust in global health systems.

The bombing of the MSF hospital in Old Fangak is a tragic escalation in South Sudan’s spiralling conflict, stripping a vulnerable population of lifesaving care and signalling a dangerous disregard for international law. As the country teeters on the edge of civil war, the international community must act swiftly to protect civilians and restore humanitarian access. The loss of seven lives, including a child and the destruction of critical infrastructure demand urgent accountability and aid to prevent further catastrophe.

Call to Action (CTA)
Stay informed on the South Sudan crisis and support humanitarian efforts. Follow and share The Daily Hints for the latest updates on global news and ways to make a difference. Visit MSF’s website to learn how you can help provide medical aid to those in need.

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