Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF
By Lerato Mpembe
Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) has strongly condemned the bombing of its hospital in Old Fangak, South Sudan, as a “clear violation of international law.” The attack, which occurred early on Saturday, 3 May 2025, resulted in the deaths of at least seven people and injured 20 others. The hospital, the only medical facility in Fangak County, served over 110,000 residents, many of whom are displaced due to ongoing conflict and flooding.
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Details of the Attack
According to MSF, the assault began around 4:30 a.m. local time when two helicopter gunships dropped a bomb on the hospital’s pharmacy, destroying it and all medical supplies. Subsequently, the gunships fired upon the town of Old Fangak for approximately 30 minutes. Later, around 7:00 a.m., a drone strike targeted the town’s market adjacent to the hospital, causing further casualties and widespread panic among civilians.
Mamman Mustapha, MSF’s head of mission in South Sudan, stated, “The hospital is clearly marked as a hospital. I don’t think it was an accident. We’ve been there since 2014, we’ve shared our coordinates. They know us. And they continued shelling on the civilian population as well.” 
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Humanitarian Impact
The destruction of the hospital has left the local population without access to essential medical care. The facility was the sole provider of healthcare in the region, offering services to a community already burdened by limited access to medical resources. The loss of the pharmacy and medical supplies further exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the area.
Local official Biel Boutros Biel reported that the bombings displaced over 30,000 people, with many fleeing into floodwaters or seeking refuge in nearby areas. He also confirmed that a nine-month-old child was among those killed in the attack.  
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Political and Military Context
The attack on Old Fangak comes amid escalating tensions between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with First Vice President Riek Machar. The collapse of a power-sharing agreement between the two leaders has led to renewed conflict in various parts of South Sudan. Old Fangak, located in an area historically associated with Machar’s Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), has not been at the center of recent clashes but has now become a target. 
The South Sudanese military has yet to comment on the incident. However, the attack follows a statement by army chief Paul Majok Nang, who threatened military action in Fangak and Leer counties in response to alleged hijackings of boats and barges by opposition forces. Opposition representatives have denied these claims and called for an international investigation into the assault. 
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International Response
The international community has expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in South Sudan. Multiple Western embassies, including that of the United States, have urged President Kiir to release Vice President Machar from house arrest and to engage in dialogue aimed at achieving a political solution. The embassies highlighted the worsening political and security conditions in the country and called for immediate action to prevent further escalation.  
MSF has called for the protection of civilians and healthcare facilities, emphasizing the need to uphold international humanitarian law. The organization continues to assess the situation on the ground and is working to provide support to those affected by the attack. 
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