ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
The chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has “unreservedly condemned” the bombing of a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) health facility in Old Fangak, a town in South Sudan’s Jonglei State, by the country’s army on Saturday morning.
The condemnation came a day
before Mr. Youssouf’s scheduled two-day visit to Juba, South Sudan’s capital,
beginning Monday. The trip takes place amid heightened political and security
tensions following the
detention of First Vice President Riek Machar on March 26.
On April 24, Mr. Youssouf held
talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala, where they addressed
regional peace and security.
Uganda, a
key ally of President Salva Kiir, deployed troops to South Sudan in early
March to bolster the government amid fears of renewed conflict.
Mr. Youssouf will lead a
delegation that includes Mohamed Abdi, the deputy executive secretary of the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). Their agenda includes
meetings with South Sudan’s foreign minister, Monday Semaya; presidential adviser
Gen. Kuol Manyang; and senior cabinet members before an expected discussion
with President Salva Kiir.
A Foreign Ministry document
dated May 3 outlined the schedule, noting that the officials would depart on
Tuesday after additional meetings.
The Foreign Ministry said on
Sunday it had extended “a cordial invitation” to Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the
chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Mohamed Abdi Ware, the deputy
executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, to visit
South Sudan.
The ministry further said the
joint visit was intended to “facilitate meaningful diplomatic and political
dialogue.”
In a statement issued on
Sunday and seen by Radio Tamazuj, Mr. Youssouf denounced
the attack on Old Fangak as “a flagrant breach” of international
humanitarian law, citing the loss of lives and property, as well as the denial
of civilians’ right to health care and protection.
He urged the South Sudanese
government to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable,
calling it a “heinous crime.”
The AU official also expressed
hope for peace, stability, unity, and national reconciliation in South Sudan,
urging parties to the 2018 peace agreement to recommit to its implementation.
It remains unclear whether the
African Union Commission delegation will be permitted to meet with Mr. Machar,
who remains in detention. Previous requests by high-level officials,
including representatives
from Kenya, the
AU Panel of the Wise, and the European
Union, have been denied.
President Kiir faces growing
pressure from the United States and other Western nations to release
Mr. Machar, implement the peace deal, and prepare for long-delayed elections,
now scheduled for December 2026.
In the latest violence, at
least seven people were reported killed after the MSF-run hospital and a nearby
market were bombed in Old Fangak, raising fears of a return to civil war.
The hospital, the only one in
Fangak County—home to more than 110,000 people—was destroyed along with all its
medical supplies, according to MSF.
South Sudan’s government has
not yet commented on the attack.
Hours before the bombing,
South Sudan’s army chief, Gen. Paul Majok Nang, vowed retaliatory
strikes after several river barges were allegedly hijacked. He blamed
the attacks on forces linked to Mr. Machar, who have denied
involvement.
Mr. Machar was arrested in
March along with several
associates and accused of plotting a rebellion. The government has
recently designated nine counties as “hostile”—a term implying allegiance to
Mr. Machar—fueling suspicions that the country could be sliding back into
conflict.
A 2018 peace agreement led to
the formation of a unity government with Mr. Kiir and Mr. Machar at the helm,
but elections have been repeatedly
delayed. The deal also called for the disbandment of militias and the
creation of a unified national army, but armed groups remain loyal to rival
political factions.
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