Investigation launched into arson attacks in South Sudans Jonglei region

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South Sudanese Authorities and Opposition Forces Accused of Destruction in Jonglei

Juba, South Sudan – Reports indicate widespread destruction in Jonglei State, with multiple villages reportedly burned and residents displaced. The situation escalated as government forces advanced through the region, capturing key towns and pushing opposition fighters towards the Ethiopian border.

According to eyewitness accounts, a bomb struck the Lankien hospital on February 3, just hours after the last patients were evacuated. The facility was later looted and set on fire, with its cold-chain storage unit destroyed. Vehicles were also damaged, and solar-powered water systems dismantled.

Satellite imagery analyzed by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) suggests widespread destruction across Jonglei, which has been a stronghold of opposition groups. CIR documented 23 incidents between late January and February, with civilian structures appearing to have been burned and looted in most cases.

Residents claim that military forces were responsible for targeted destruction, pushing tens of thousands of people towards the brink of famine. However, officials attribute the destruction to clashes between government troops and opposition fighters. The exact circumstances surrounding the attacks remain unclear due to restricted access to the area.

The situation in Jonglei is part of a broader escalation of violence in South Sudan since 2025, when opposition leader Riek Machar was arrested on charges of subversion. A peace agreement between President Salva Kiir and Machar brought an end to a civil war that killed hundreds of thousands of people before implementation stalled amid delays.

The government has stated that military operations are conducted in self-defence, with civilians not being deliberately targeted. However, the exact extent of the destruction and responsibility for the attacks remain unclear.

Source: Al Jazeera