At least seven people killed and 20 injured in bombing of MSF hospital in South Sudan

In a recent attack on the MSF (Doctors Without Borders) hospital located in Old Fangak, South Sudan, at least seven individuals were reported dead, including a 9-month-old child. The bombing occurred early in the morning, with eyewitness accounts detailing the use of helicopter gunships that targeted the hospital, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between government forces and opposition groups. This incident has raised alarms amid fears that South Sudan is teetering on the brink of renewed civil war, particularly following the collapse of a power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar. The hospital had been providing essential medical services to about 40,000 residents, many of whom have been displaced due to flooding and ongoing violence. MSF condemned the bombing as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, highlighting the destructive impact on healthcare facilities in a country already suffering from a dire humanitarian crisis. The Fangak County Commissioner attributed the attacks to the government forces, underscoring the ethnic tensions that underpin the ongoing conflict. As political instability continues to escalate, multiple embassies, including the United States, have expressed concern about the deteriorating situation, urging a return to dialogue and political resolution. The attack on such a critical medical facility not only highlights the immediate danger faced by civilians and healthcare workers but also exacerbates fears of a humanitarian catastrophe in a region already crippled by violence and instability.