South Sudan’s air force conducted an airstrike in Nasir, killing 19 people. This follows a recent government troop withdrawal and clashes with the White Army, raising fears of renewed civil war. The government accuses Riek Machar’s party of collaboration with the White Army, while tensions are heightened by outside military involvement from Uganda.
South Sudan’s air force conducted a significant airstrike in the eastern region, reportedly killing 19 people, as per local sources. This incident follows a withdrawal of government forces from the area due to escalating conflicts with a local ethnic group, the White Army. The White Army, consisting mainly of ethnic Nuer youths, clashed with government troops in Nasir, near the Ethiopian border, raising fears of a resurgence of civil war similar to that experienced from 2013 to 2018.
The South Sudan government has accused First Vice President Riek Machar’s Nuer party of collaborating with the White Army, which has gained notoriety for previously aligning with Machar’s forces against President Salva Kiir’s Dinka troops during the civil war. Machar’s party has denied any involvement in the current conflict. On March 7, a U.N. helicopter was shot down during an evacuation attempt, resulting in the death of a South Sudanese general and around 27 soldiers.
The recent bombing took place in Nasir on a Monday morning, as confirmed by Information Minister Michael Makuei. Local community leader Kang Wan reported that the airstrike occurred late Sunday night, with 15 individuals killed instantly and four dying later from injuries. Another resident estimated seeing 16 bodies, emphasizing the severity of the attack, “All of them got burned, everything got burned,” said Wan.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) indicated that their facility in Ulang treated three injured individuals from Nasir, with two declared dead upon arrival due to severe burns. Nasir County Commissioner James Gatluak Lew, aligned with Machar, indicated that the airstrikes might have been retaliatory actions for the earlier helicopter attack. In a related development, Uganda recently announced the deployment of special forces to Juba, South Sudan’s capital, amid rising security concerns, although the South Sudanese government denied their presence but acknowledged supportive Ugandan troop units.
The situation in South Sudan remains precarious following the airstrike that killed 19 individuals, amidst ongoing ethnic and political conflicts. The accusation against Riek Machar’s party for collaboration with the White Army raises tensions, while the recent military actions could threaten stability in the region. Reports of external assistance from Uganda complicate the dynamics as South Sudan navigates its internal and external security challenges.
Original Source: myind.net
