South Sudan’s military on Tuesday carried out airstrikes against opposition-held positions in Western Bahr el Ghazal State, triggering panic among residents and forcing hundreds to flee, according to witnesses and officials.
The bombardment, which took place around 3 a.m., targeted areas under the control of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO) in Jur River County, particularly near Kuanya.
Residents who escaped to Wau town described the assault as terrifying, saying the gunship appeared to have targeted the home of SPLA-IO General Bol Wek, who was injured in an earlier attack.
“We woke up to explosions and gunfire. The army was using airstrikes in civilian areas like Jebel Teak and Kuanya,” said one displaced resident who fled with his family. “We’ve abandoned our homes, and I’m sure everything will be looted again, like what happened in April.”
He appealed to both sides to keep the fighting away from civilians. “If government forces are after the opposition, they should go to the military camps—not where people live,” he said.
South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang confirmed the operation but withheld details, saying he was still awaiting a full report from the field commander.
“The strike happened in SPLA-IO–controlled areas of Jur River County. We are waiting for updates on whether there were losses on their side,” Koang said.
SPLA-IO spokesperson Col. Lam Paul Gabriel also confirmed the airstrike but reported no casualties.
“Our base in Kuanya was bombed by the SSPDF early this morning, but there were no injuries or material losses,” Gabriel said. He linked the attack to renewed hostilities that began on September 28, when government forces clashed with SPLA-IO fighters, leaving 12 SSPDF soldiers dead and seven wounded. Gen. Bol Wek was injured in the leg during that earlier fighting, he added.
“The bombs landed in civilian zones, which caused panic and displacement,” Gabriel said.
The latest violence has heightened fear in Wau, where uncertainty and misinformation have spread due to limited access to affected areas.
“People in Wau are anxious because they don’t know what’s happening,” said Robo Stephen, a civil society activist and coordinator for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO). “Even humanitarian organizations can’t reach the area due to insecurity and lack of clear information.”
Stephen urged transparency from the authorities and called for renewed dialogue. “The government must communicate clearly about the situation. We call on both parties to stop fighting and return to talks—military confrontation won’t solve this crisis,” he said.
He warned that renewed clashes could further destabilize the fragile 2018 peace agreement, already weakened by slow implementation of security arrangements and recent political tensions.
Relations between the peace partners have deteriorated since the arrest of SPLA-IO leader and First Vice President Riek Machar earlier this year. Machar and seven of his allies are currently facing trial in Juba on charges of treason, murder, and crimes against humanity following deadly violence in Nasir.