An airstrike in Nasir, Upper Nile state, killed at least 21 civilians, including two women and two children. Witnesses claim the attack was carried out by South Sudan and Ugandan forces. The Nasir County Commissioner confirmed the casualties and urged for peace. Uganda’s military operations in South Sudan are ongoing amid rising tensions. Activists demand accountability and ceasefire due to growing violence.
On a recent Sunday night, an aerial bombardment in Nasir town, Upper Nile state, resulted in the tragic loss of at least 21 civilians, including two women and two children, according to local officials and residents, as reported by Radio Tamazuj. A lone survivor is reportedly in critical condition following the attack, which witnesses alleged was carried out by the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), targeting residential areas and destroying numerous homes.
Ter Chuol Gatkuoth, a commander of the White Army, reported that many victims were “burned to death” due to multiple bomb strikes in the town. He confirmed that 17 individuals died instantly from the bombing, but the number has risen to 21 as the remaining injured succumbed to their injuries.
In his assessment of the situation, Nasir County Commissioner Gatluak Lew Thiep corroborated that at least 21 fatalities had occurred due to the airstrike. He further indicated that bombardments resumed in Nasir County shortly after, with new targets in Ngueny Boma, Koat Payam. The commissioner noted challenges in assessing casualties due to mobile network issues in the area.
The commissioner called upon the national government to seek solutions and foster lasting peace through dialogue. In light of rising tensions, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, recently announced on social media that Ugandan troops had commenced operations to support President Salva Kiir’s government amidst regional instability.
This military action from Uganda follows a prior confirmation of troop deployment last week due to security concerns. The bombing has intensified anxiety in Nasir, a strategic border town with Ethiopia, which the White Army seized on March 4. Accusations have risen implicating the militia as being associated with First Vice President Riek Machar, with whom President Kiir’s forces engaged in a devastating civil war lasting from 2013 to 2018, resulting in approximately 400,000 deaths.
Prominent civil society activist Edmund Yakani has urged an immediate ceasefire and called for international peace monitors to investigate the attack, asserting that “crimes against humanity are unfolding in plain sight” and demanding accountability. The incident is particularly alarming given recent pledges from South Sudan’s Defence Minister Gen. Chol Thon Balok to reclaim Nasir following SSPDF casualties during a failed UN evacuation on March 7.
Efforts to reach the SSPDF for comments have not been successful, and the story was updated around 3 PM (Juba time) based on additional information from Nasir County Commissioner Gatluak Lew.
The airstrike in Nasir has resulted in the tragic loss of civilian life and raised critical concerns over ongoing military actions in the region. With accusations against both the SSPDF and UPDF for the attack, the need for dialogue and accountability is paramount. As officials call for peace and immediate ceasefires, the complicated backdrop of South Sudan’s civil and geopolitical tensions remains a pressing issue. The continuous cycle of violence threatens any prospect of stability and peace in the region.
Original Source: www.radiotamazuj.org
