26 Doctors Without Borders Workers Remain Unaccounted for in South Sudan a Month After Attacks

NAIROBI, Kenya — More than 26 Doctors Without Borders workers remain unaccounted for one month after two of their facilities were attacked in South Sudan. The medical charity, known by its French acronym MSF, reported that the incidents occurred on February 3 in Jonglei State, northeast of the capital Juba, a region that has seen an estimated 280,000 people displaced since December due to rising violence.

A hospital in the town of Lankien was bombed by government forces, while another facility in the town of Pieri was attacked by “unknown assailants.” Both facilities were located in areas controlled by opposition forces. Following the attacks, staff members fled alongside local residents into remote rural areas, where armed conflicts and airstrikes persist.

MSF expressed deep concern, stating that “26 of 291 colleagues working in Lankien and Pieri remain unaccounted for,” noting they have lost contact with these individuals amid ongoing insecurity. The lack of communication may be attributed to limited network connectivity in much of the state. Staff who have managed to communicate described scenes of “destruction, violence, and extreme hardships.”

The uptick in violence against humanitarian staff in South Sudan has become alarming. In the past year, MSF facilities have been attacked ten times. Yashovardhan, the head of MSF's mission in South Sudan, remarked, “Medical workers must never be targets,” emphasizing that the violence has taken a toll not only on healthcare services but also on the communities that rely on them.

In light of these events, conditions for displaced people remain dire, with residents of Akobo, an opposition-held town near the Ethiopian border, recounting horrific violence and obstacles in securing basic necessities such as food and water during their arduous journeys to safety. The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate as conflict escalates in the region.