South Sudan’s Jonglei: Who burned homes and silenced hospitals?

What Happened

In early February 2025, during a government counteroffensive in South Sudan's Jonglei State, the town of Lankien was targeted. On February 3, a bomb struck the hospital just hours after MSF evacuated patients. On February 7, mortar fire hit the town and ground forces in armoured vehicles arrived, after which residents described widespread burning of homes and looting. The hospital's vaccine cold storage was burned, vehicles were stripped, and solar water systems dismantled. Satellite imagery analysed by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) identified 23 incidents of burned and looted civilian structures between late January and February across a wider area, with destruction following troop movements. Residents told Al Jazeera that opposition forces were not present when their villages were attacked, but this could not be independently verified. Government did not respond to specific allegations but has previously denied deliberately targeting civilians. Tens of thousands have been displaced toward famine conditions.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The escalation in Jonglei risks collapse of South Sudan's fragile peace process, exacerbating a severe humanitarian crisis in an area already facing famine. The apparent targeting of hospitals and civilian infrastructure, if verified as deliberate, could constitute war crimes, increasing pressure for international accountability. Mass displacement strains aid capacity and threatens regional stability through refugee flows.

Watch For

Humanitarian access and possible famine declarations (IPC Phase 5) in affected areas; investigations by UNMISS or human rights bodies into deliberate targeting; potential ceasefire negotiations or regional mediation amid ongoing opposition leader detention; further satellite imagery releases confirming the scale and intent of destruction; and any government accountability measures or official statements.