The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan has stated that the bombing attack on a Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) hospital and pharmacy over the weekend was deliberate and may constitute a war crime.
MSF reported on Saturday that at least seven people were killed and 20 wounded in Fangak county, South Sudan, when a bomb was dropped on the pharmacy, causing it to burn down and damaging the hospital. This was followed by another drone attack on Old Fangak, a town in the Greater Upper Nile region.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which follows recent air strikes and heavy clashes in the region between national forces and an ethnic militia allegedly allied with First Vice President Riek Machar.
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Yasmin Sooka, chair of the commission, condemned the attack, stating, “This was not a tragic accident. It was a calculated, unlawful attack on a protected medical facility.” She emphasized that the aerial bombing of the MSF hospital in Old Fangak is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and could amount to a war crime. Sooka further noted that targeting medical facilities and services violates the Geneva Conventions and represents a direct assault on the foundations of humanitarian action intended to protect civilians in conflict zones.
Information Minister Michael Makuei did not respond to requests for comment.
South Sudan has been officially at peace since a 2018 agreement ended a five-year civil war between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and fighters loyal to Machar. However, the house arrest of Machar in March, on accusations of attempting to start a rebellion, has raised international concerns about a potential resurgence of conflict.
