Panic gripped residents of Nagero County early Wednesday morning after an alleged airstrike killed one person and injured another at a funeral gathering, marking the second aerial attack in just two days across South Sudan’s western region.
Eyewitnesses in Bandalla Payam said a military aircraft believed to belong to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) dropped bombs around 5 a.m., targeting a group of mourners. The attack left one man, identified as Gama, dead, and another, Martin Tandi, wounded.
“We were at a funeral at 5 a.m. when the plane started circling and then attacked,” recounted Amalia Jendo, whose husband was among the injured. “These are civilian areas there are no forces here. I am calling on the government to stop killing innocent people.”
Jendo described scenes of chaos as families fled into the bush. “I don’t know where my children ran. The elderly are dying, and women are giving birth in the open,” she said, alleging that army personnel also looted nearby health centers.
Other witnesses reported that the airstrike began around 3 a.m. along the Nagero–Tombura road, forcing many to abandon their homes overnight.
A local government official, who requested anonymity, confirmed that a plane bombarded parts of Nagero County but denied reports of deaths.
“The aircraft was not identified. It came at night when people were sleeping, but no one was killed,” the official claimed.
When contacted, Maj. Badista Kumbo, the acting police commissioner of Western Equatoria, said police were yet to receive an official report. “We are still verifying the details of the alleged air attack,” he stated.
The incident drew sharp condemnation from Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), who urged both the SSPDF and SPLA-IO to halt hostilities and commit to peaceful dialogue.
“These repeated airstrikes on civilian areas are unacceptable and risk pushing the country back into full-scale conflict, the government must immediately investigate and hold those responsible accountable,” Yakani warned.
The attack in Nagero follows a similar aerial bombardment reported in Jur River County, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, just two days earlier, where several homes were destroyed near Wau. Local officials in that area said the strike, also allegedly carried out by the SSPDF, left at least three civilians dead and others injured.
Observers fear the incidents mark a dangerous escalation in tensions between the SSPDF and the opposition SPLA-IO supposed partners in South Sudan’s 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
Analysts warn that renewed fighting and unverified air operations could undermine fragile stability across Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal, two regions that have long served as flashpoints of conflict.
Both the SSPDF and SPLA-IO spokespersons were unavailable for immediate comment at the time of publication.