Naath academics condemn South Sudan’s airstrikes, ethnic profiling

JUBA – The Naath Academics Foundation (NAF) has strongly condemned recent airstrikes in Nasir, Ulang, Longechuk, Akobo, Mayom, and Fangak counties, as well as persistent clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and allied forces.

Dr. Deng Gach Pal, NAF Press Secretary, denounced the violence, specifically criticising the White Army’s attack on an SSPDF garrison in Nasir and retaliatory airstrikes reportedly conducted by Ugandan gunships.

“We unequivocally condemn the Nasir incident and the aerial bombardments in multiple counties,” Pal said. He urged that such incidents not be used to stigmatise entire communities, warning, “No official should label people by ethnicity or region as ‘hostile.’ This risks mass atrocities.”

NAF also criticised Hon. Dr. Martin Elia Lomuro, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, for classifying Upper Nile counties as “friendly” or “hostile,” calling it a violation of South Sudan’s Constitution. “The Minister must issue a public apology to the Nuer people and the nation,” Pal demanded.

The foundation called on IGAD, the African Union, the UN, and TROIKA to monitor early warning signs of escalating conflict and potential genocide. It urged South Sudanese youth, civil society, and religious leaders to promote peace and reject violence. “The Nuer, like all 63 tribes, are committed to peace and unity,” Pal emphasised.

Prof. Julia Aker Duany, NAF’s Deputy Chairperson, expressed dismay at the suffering of civilians, particularly women and children, due to the bombardments.

“As citizens, we must speak out against wrongs and correct them,” she said. Duany called on armed youth groups, including the White Army, Arrow Boys, Gelweng, Agwelek, and Abushok, to lay down arms. “Armed conflict destroys; peace and unity build a nation,” she added.

Since March 2025, South Sudan has experienced a series of airstrikes, primarily in Upper Nile and Jonglei states, amid escalating tensions between government forces (SSPDF) and opposition groups, notably the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) and affiliated militias like the White Army.

The airstrikes, some reportedly involving Ugandan forces, have been linked to the collapse of a power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and detained First Vice President Riek Machar, raising fears of renewed civil war.

On March 16, SSPDF forces, in cooperation with the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), conducted airstrikes around Nasir’s airstrip, killing 21 residents. These followed clashes starting March 3, when the White Army overran an SSPDF barracks. On March 19, additional airstrikes targeted Nasir, including the market, injuring two civilians.

On March 16, an airstrike struck Mathiang village, killing one person and injuring eight in Longechuk County, Upper Nile State. Two days later, airstrikes hit the road between Akobo and Walgak in Akobo and Ulang Counties, respectively.

On March 21, airstrikes in Kuich, Ulang County, killed one person and wounded 12. The latest and arguably more concerning airstrike came on May 3, after an airstrike targeted a hospital in Old Fangak run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), killing at least seven people and injuring 20.

Two helicopter gunships bombed the hospital’s pharmacy and shelled the town for 30 minutes, destroying the last functioning medical facility in the area. MSF condemned the attack as a violation of international law.

The SPLM/A-IO accused Uganda of violating a UN arms embargo and participating in the strikes, which Uganda denied. The UPDF’s involvement was confirmed by South Sudan’s government on March 17, citing a bilateral agreement for technical support.