By Baraka John
The only public health facility in Nagero County has been vandalized and looted amid renewed fighting between forces of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO), local officials confirmed.
Nagero County Executive Director Bernad Gabriel Amin told King Media on Wednesday that heavy fighting, which erupted on Sunday, has forced the entire civilian population to flee into nearby bushes for safety.
“The fighting is still ongoing. Gunshots can be heard throughout the town, and I am the only member of the civil authority remaining here,” Amin said. “The clashes have caused massive destruction to public infrastructure, including the county’s only Primary Health Care Center (PHCC). Homes have been destroyed or abandoned there are no civilians left in town.”
Amin added that the looting of the PHCC has deprived displaced residents of critical medical services at a time when humanitarian needs are escalating.
Local youth leader Elias Undo described the situation as “catastrophic,” saying civilians are trapped between warring forces with no safe haven.
“As we speak, we cannot predict when people will return home. There’s been no intervention to enforce a ceasefire,” Undo said. “It’s risky we’re running into the bush without knowing where to go because even the rebels are coming from there.”
Undo noted that many of the displaced had only recently returned from earlier displacements, making this latest outbreak of violence particularly devastating.
Displaced civilians seek safety after heavy fighting erupted in Nagero County. [Photo: Courtesy]
Tensions escalated further on Monday following reports that five teenagers were allegedly killed by SSPDF soldiers in Nagero County. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation.
In a statement on Tuesday, Western Equatoria State Deputy Governor Justin Joseph Marona denounced the killings and urged all armed forces to respect international humanitarian law.
“As a government, we emphasize that all our security forces must adhere to international laws protecting the rights of civilians caught in conflict,” Marona said.
The renewed violence underscores the fragility of South Sudan’s peace process, despite the 2018 peace agreement. Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned that remote areas like Nagero remain highly vulnerable due to limited government presence and a lack of essential services.