Jonglei Reacts to Nyirol Bombardment
Civil society bodies in South Sudan’s Jonglei State say 26 unarmed residents, among them 11 children, were killed during an alleged airstrike on Lankien town in Nyirol County on 26 December.
The Jonglei State Civil Network, speaking to Eye Radio, condemned what it labelled a deliberate targeting of civilian locations and warned that the bombing has intensified fear across nearby villages.
Displacement and Humanitarian Gaps
Advocates report households fleeing Lankien with only what they could carry, leaving behind shuttered huts and empty grain stores.
The group appealed for emergency medicine, food and shelter, noting that many wounded walked hours to makeshift clinics lacking basic supplies.
Military Silence Fuels Questions
Civil society claims the strike was executed by South Sudan People’s Defence Forces after clashes with SPLA-IO, yet the army headquarters in Juba has not issued a statement.
Tension between the rival forces has simmered across Jonglei for months, punctuated by December skirmishes in Waat that displaced thousands and strained local cease-fire monitors.
Call for Accountability and Dialogue
“Why are non-combatants bearing the cost of a political dispute the warring sides refuse to settle?” asked Joseph Gatluak, spokesperson for the network, urging a probe and compensation.
International partners such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme have been encouraged to scale up operations before the dry-season roads become impassable floods by May.
Government sources contacted by regional media said internal reviews are under way and cautioned against “premature conclusions” until field investigators report.
For Jonglei’s activists, however, the priority remains swift humanitarian access and a recommitment to the 2018 peace deal they believe still offers the only sustainable exit from endless reprisals.