South Sudan Conflict Escalates: Civilians Targeted, Healthcare Under Attack, Warns MSF
April 23, 2026
Civilians in South Sudan are enduring relentless violence, with hospitals bombed, villages burned, and thousands left without medical care, according to a harrowing new report by Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Titled “They Killed Them While We Were Running,” the document reveals shocking atrocities—including forced recruitment, sexual violence, and indiscriminate attacks—that have displaced entire communities and crippled humanitarian efforts.
Between January 2025 and April 2026, MSF recorded 12 direct assaults on its staff and facilities, leaving an estimated 762,000 people without access to healthcare. The medical charity is now urging warring factions—including the South Sudanese government and opposition forces—to immediately halt attacks on civilians and vital infrastructure.
“They Burned My Grandmother Inside the House”
In Jonglei State, a displaced mother recounted fleeing as her village was set ablaze. “I ran with my child while watching our home burn,” she told MSF at a clinic in Chuil. “The elderly couldn’t escape. They killed them.”
Such testimonies underscore the brutality of the conflict, where airstrikes, ground assaults, and arson attacks have become routine. Since early 2025, MSF has treated an average of 16 violence-related injuries daily across six states—Jonglei, Upper Nile, Central Equatoria, Lakes, Warrap, and Western Equatoria—as well as the Abyei and Greater Pibor regions.
Surge in Sexual Violence and Gunshot Wounds
Medical data paints a grim picture:
- 6,095 people treated for violent injuries in 2025 (up from 4,765 in 2024).
- Gunshot wound cases rose by 77% year-on-year.
- 138 airstrikes recorded in 2025, compared to just two the previous year.
Sexual violence has also surged. In March 2026, an MSF worker in Yei described treating a teenage girl raped twice in three days—first by a group of armed men, then again while gathering firewood.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Zakaria Mwatia, MSF’s head of mission in South Sudan, warned that hospitals, schools, and shelters are no longer safe. “Entire towns are being hit, forcing mass displacement,” he said.
Even aid workers face danger. In February 2026, an MSF vehicle in Lankien was shot at and vandalized, injuring a staff member.
Call for Action
MSF is demanding all parties comply with international humanitarian law, which prohibits targeting civilians or medical facilities. “These aren’t just war crimes—they’re catastrophic failures of humanity,” the report states.
With 1,800 violence-related injuries already treated in early 2026, the toll continues to climb. For South Sudan’s civilians, survival hinges on global pressure to end the bloodshed.
— Reported by Nexio News
