Bullets discovered as latest airstrike hits MSF facility in Jonglei

BOR – A Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) healthcare facility in Pieri, Jonglei State, came under fire during an airstrike on the morning of 3 December, in what the medical charity says is the latest example of a disturbing escalation of attacks on health services in South Sudan.

According to a statement issued Thursday, the airstrike struck the Pieri facility as a gunship helicopter hovered overhead.

When the aircraft departed, MSF teams inspecting the compound discovered bullets lodged in the infrastructure, confirming that the facility had been directly hit during the attack.

The incident has raised alarm among humanitarian organisations operating in the region, where insecurity has already forced multiple suspensions of lifesaving medical services this year.

MSF further reported that its personnel witnessed additional airstrikes in Lankien, approximately 60 kilometres from Pieri.

The organisation operates a major hospital in Lankien, one of the only secondary-level healthcare facilities in the entire region. While the Lankien facility did not sustain direct damage, the proximity of the strikes has heightened fears for both patients and staff.

Despite the severity of the incidents, MSF said all its staff in both locations are safe. No casualties among the local population have been linked to the airstrikes at this stage.

However, the organisation emphasised that both Pieri and Lankien rely almost entirely on MSF for medical services, meaning any disruption could have devastating consequences for thousands of people who depend on these facilities for routine and emergency care.

The events of 3 December add to a troubling pattern of violence targeting or affecting health services across South Sudan. Earlier in 2025, MSF was forced to close its hospitals in Old Fangak and Ulang following separate security incidents in May and June. General healthcare activities were also suspended in Jonglei, Upper Nile and Central Equatoria as conflict and instability made it unsafe for staff to operate.

“The recent airstrike shows a deeply concerning pattern in which healthcare facilities are repeatedly hit or come under fire during persistent attacks,” said Emmerson Gono, MSF Deputy Head of Mission in South Sudan. “We call for the immediate protection of medical infrastructure, staff and patients in South Sudan.”

MSF, one of the largest humanitarian medical actors in the country, continues to respond to the immense health needs driven by ongoing conflict, displacement, recurring floods and disease outbreaks. These challenges are being compounded by a steep reduction in international funding for humanitarian operations and a fragile national health system struggling to cope with increasing demand.