At least 21 civilians, including two women and two children, were killed in an aerial bombardment in Nasir town, Upper Nile state, on Sunday night, local officials and residents told Radio Tamazuj. One survivor remains in critical condition.
Witnesses accused the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) of carrying out the attack, which they said targeted residential areas and destroyed homes.
Ter Chuol Gatkuoth, one of the White Army commanders, said the victims “were burned to death” after multiple bombs struck the town.
“Yesterday, 17 people died on the spot after the bombing, and five were injured. However, now only one injured person remains alive, as the rest succumbed to their injuries. I can confirm that 21 people died in the airstrike,” Ter said.
Nasir County Commissioner Gatluak Lew Thiep confirmed that at least 21 people were killed in the airstrike on Sunday night. He also revealed that, one hour ago, bombardments resumed in Nasir County, targeting Ngueny Boma in Koat Payam.
“We are still trying to assess the casualties from the aerial bombardment this afteroon. The mobile network is also down in the Koat area,” he said.
The commissioner urged the national government to find a solution and establish lasting peace in the country. He emphasized the importance of dialogue to resolve the nation’s issues.
After the attack on Sunday, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba—son of President Yoweri Museveni—announced on social media that Ugandan troops had begun operations in South Sudan to “support” President Salva Kiir’s government amid rising instability.
Last week, Uganda confirmed deploying forces to South Sudan, citing security concerns.
The bombing has heightened tensions in Nasir, a strategic border town with Ethiopia, which was seized by the White Army on 4 March. The militia is accused by Kiir’s government of ties to his rival, First Vice President Riek Machar. The two leaders’ forces fought a brutal civil war from 2013 to 2018, killing an estimated 400,000 people.
Edmund Yakani, a prominent civil society activist, urged an immediate ceasefire and called for peace monitors to investigate the strike. “Crimes against humanity are unfolding in plain sight,” he said, demanding accountability.
The violence follows a pledge by South Sudan’s Defence Minister Gen. Chol Thon Balok to retake Nasir after SSPDF casualties during a botched UN evacuation on 7 March.
The SSPDF could not immediately be reached for comment.
This story was updated at around 3 pm (Juba time) with additional information from Nasir County Commissioner Gatluak Lew.