Fresh bombardment reported in Northern Jonglei as civilians flee for safety

BOR – Fresh bombardments have been reported in parts of northern Jonglei State, including Ayod, Uror, and Nyirol counties, sending waves of fear across communities already weakened by years of conflict and instability.

According to local sources in Ayod, the strikes occurred early Tuesday morning, with residents recounting “loud explosions” and “continuous shelling” near several villages.

One community member, who identified himself as James, said eight children, including five women, were killed in the attack, including two of his relatives.

“In yesterday’s bombardment, two of my relatives’ children were killed. We are currently at the burial. The incident happened at around 9 AM when the gunship came and bombed the area,” said another resident, Riek. He urged the government to protect innocent civilians when pursuing armed groups operating in the region.

In Uror County, Chot Jak, the county coordinator based in Bor, confirmed the bombardment in Pieri Payam. He said communication challenges made it difficult to determine casualty figures.

“Yes, it happened early in the morning at around 9 AM in Pieri Payam. The area is highly populated, and the mobile network is down, so we cannot communicate with people on the ground to know the number of casualties,” Chot said.

He added that many residents of Pieri Payam have begun fleeing to nearby areas they believe are safer. “Most people are reported to have fled Pieri Payam. They are moving to other payams they think are safe for themselves and their children,” he added.

Local authorities say they are still verifying reports, but confirmed that “unexplained aerial and artillery activity” had been detected near remote settlements. While some community leaders accused the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) of carrying out the attacks, the military has yet to issue a statement responding to the allegations.

Jonglei State authorities say they are coordinating with county administrators to assess the extent of the damage. Simon Hoth Dual, the State Minister of Local Government, confirmed the Tuesday bombardment in Ayod County, but said information from the ground was still limited.

“We have received reports that there was bombardment in Ayod County, but there is no network connectivity in the area. We are trying to gather more details, and once the information is available, it will be established,” Hoth said.