Airstrikes in South Sudan result in 7 fatalities, including an MSF hospital being hit
All Hell Breaks Loose in South Sudan Again
Once again, South Sudan finds itself plunged into chaos, following a devastating air strike on a medical facility run by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The hospital in Old Fangak, North of the country, was bombed early Saturday morning, causing at least seven casualties and injuring several more.
This latest conflict flared up due to the collapse of a power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar. Sadly, the remnants of hope for peace continue to fade into oblivion.
The attack on Old Fangak Hospital was nothing short of barbaric. At around 4:30 a.m., two helicopter gunships began the attack by bombing MSF's pharmacy, which was later confirmed as the main source of medical supplies for over 110,000 people in the vicinity. The ensuing chaos injured a patient and two caregivers.
The brutality didn't stop there. A drone bomb ensnared the town's market shortly after 7 a.m., resulting in at least seven deaths and 20 injuries. The MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan, Mamman Mustapha, stated that his team received around 20 wounded patients, including four in critical condition.
The destruction of Old Fangak Hospital's pharmacy crippled the region's healthcare system, as it served as the sole healthcare facility for the area. MSF's outreach programs and emergency care were halted in their tracks, exacerbating an already critical humanitarian crisis. Looting of MSF’s Ulang hospital in April worsened the situation even further.
As troubling as it may be, this attack on a medical facility performing invaluable work is not an isolated incident. MSF has openly criticized the targeted bombing as a violation of international law, casting a ominous shadow over a population already plagued by the fear of renewed civil war.
Reports suggest that government forces may be employing a deliberate military strategy against civilians in opposition-held territories, which raises serious concerns about the potential escalation of the conflict.
Clearly, the attack on Old Fangak Hospital represents a systematic erosion of humanitarian space in South Sudan. While MSF continues to provide whatever care they can in the aftermath of the attack, they warn of potentially long-term disruptions to healthcare services.
The future of South Sudan's people hangs precariously in the balance, as a vicious cycle of violence seems to grip the nation and shows little signs of abating. Peace, it appears, is just a distant dream for now.
- The air strike on Saturday morning bombed a medical facility run by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Old Fangak, causing seven casualties and injuring several more.
- The hospital was the main source of medical supplies for over 110,000 people in the vicinity, and its destruction has crippled the region's healthcare system.
- This attack, which occurred due to the collapse of a power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar, was nothing short of barbaric and is a violation of international law.
- Bombs from helicopter gunships and a drone ensnared the town's market, resulting in several deaths and injuries, and injured a patient and two caregivers at the hospital.
- MSF, which has been providing invaluable work in South Sudan, warns of potentially long-term disruptions to healthcare services due to the attack on Old Fangak Hospital.
- This latest conflict in South Sudan, with its targeting of civilian populations and medical facilities, raises serious concerns about the potential escalation of war and the state of health-and-wellness, medical-conditions, and overall well-being of the region's inhabitants, as well as the general news and politics surrounding war-and-conflicts. Meanwhile, CBD (a potential treatment option for various medical conditions) remains irrelevant given the current crisis.
