Humanitarian Crisis: Aid Workers Missing After Airstrikes in South Sudan

Thu Feb 05 2026 23:06:43 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Airstrikes on a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders have left aid workers missing, highlighting the escalating violence in Jonglei state amid political unrest in South Sudan.

An airstrike targeting a hospital in Jonglei state, South Sudan, has resulted in the disappearance of several aid workers, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Following a night of violence, MSF reported that its facility was struck by government forces, raising concerns about the safety of medical staff and the impact of the conflict on local healthcare. This incident coincides with a resurgence of fighting in Jonglei, prompting fears of a renewed civil war.

An unknown number of aid workers are missing after air strikes hit a hospital in South Sudan, near the Ethiopian border, a charity group says.

The hospital, run by medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Jonglei state, 'was hit in an air strike by the government of South Sudan forces during the night on Tuesday', MSF said. The South Sudan government is yet to comment.

In a separate attack, MSF said its health facility in Pieri, also in Jonglei state, was on the same day looted by unknown assailants, leaving it 'unusable for the local community'.

'Our colleagues had to flee with the community and their fate and whereabouts are still unknown,' the medical organisation said.

There has been a resurgence in fighting in Jonglei state recently between government forces and those loyal to First Vice-President Riek Machar, who has been suspended from his post after being accused of plotting to overthrow President Salva Kiir.

There are fears that the fighting could re-ignite a full-blown civil war in the world's youngest nation.

Jonglei, one of the most food-insecure parts of the country with severe health needs, has seen an estimated 280,000 people displaced by fighting and aerial bombardments since December, the UN said.

MSF said that ahead of Tuesday's first attack in the Lankien area, it had received information about a possible strike, so the hospital was 'evacuated and patients were discharged hours before the attack'.

'One staff member was injured, and the hospital's main warehouse was destroyed along with medical supplies,' the group said in a statement.

Lankien has been at the centre of renewed fighting in recent weeks between government troops and opposition forces.

MSF said it was the only health provider serving around 250,000 people in Lankien and Pieri, warning that attacks on its facilities there 'mean that local communities will be left without any healthcare'.

'While we are aware of the enormous needs in the country, we find it unacceptable to be a target for attacks,' said Gul Badshah, MSF's operations manager.