NAIROBI, Kenya — In a distressing development from South Sudan’s conflict zones, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported that 26 of its medical personnel remain unaccounted for following violent attacks on their facilities in Jonglei State one month ago. The incidents occurred on February 3rd when government forces bombed an MSF hospital in Lankien while unidentified assailants raided another medical facility in Pieri.
Both targeted facilities were situated in opposition-controlled territories where intensified fighting has displaced approximately 280,000 civilians since December. Medical staff were forced to evacuate alongside local populations into remote rural areas where aerial bombardments and armed clashes continue to create dangerous conditions.
The humanitarian organization expressed grave concerns over the missing staff members, noting that communication remains impossible due to both security constraints and limited network connectivity across the region. Colleagues who have managed to establish contact describe scenes of widespread destruction, extreme hardship, and ongoing violence.
This attack represents part of a alarming pattern of violence against humanitarian operations in South Sudan. MSF facilities have been targeted ten times within the past twelve months, significantly undermining healthcare delivery in conflict-affected regions. The organization’s head of mission in South Sudan, Yashovardhan, emphasized that medical workers must never be targets and expressed profound concern for both staff and affected communities.
The current violence escalation began in December when opposition forces captured multiple government outposts in north central Jonglei, prompting a government counteroffensive in January that reclaimed most lost territory. Displaced civilians near the Ethiopian border have reported horrific violence and severe shortages of basic necessities during their flight to safety.