The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has denied any connection to a container in which South Sudan’s army says it found the bodies of executed prisoners of war, distancing itself from allegations following recent fighting in Jonglei state.
The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) said in a statement on Saturday that the bodies of 13 government soldiers, previously captured by forces loyal to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO), were discovered inside a container in Walgak, Akobo County.
SSPDF troops said they retook Walgak earlier this week after clashes with the SPLA-IO.
In the statement, Army Spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang described the container as belonging to MSF and called on the aid group to provide a “full explanation and accountability.”
MSF rejected the claim in its response, saying it does not operate in Walgak and had no staff, facilities, or assets in the area at the time of the alleged incident.
“For the sake of clarifying facts, Médecins Sans Frontières underlines that we do not work in Walgak, Akobo County,” MSF said in a statement sent to Radio Tamazuj on Saturday. “MSF has not worked in this location over the past years, had no personnel present there, and exercised no operational control, supervision, or authority over any facilities, assets, or activities in Walgak.”
The organisation said it was deeply saddened by reports of the deaths and remained ready to engage with relevant authorities to clarify the situation.
The SPLA-IO has accused government forces of killing the prisoners during an assault on Walgak on February 4, an allegation denied by the SSPDF. The SPLA-IO said the prisoners, members of the SSPDF, had been captured earlier during fighting in Waat, Yuai, and Pajut.
SSPDF Colonel Garang Ateny said on February 5 that government forces had “successfully captured Waat and Walgak from SPLA-IO militias.”
Human rights observers have called for an independent investigation into the deaths, as the army and SPLA-IO trade blame over the killings.
Under international humanitarian law, the killing of prisoners of war is considered a war crime. The Geneva Conventions require that captured combatants be treated humanely, protected from violence, and given access to basic needs such as food, water, and medical care.
South Sudan has continued to experience sporadic violence despite a 2018 peace agreement that ended a five-year civil war, with Jonglei among the regions most affected by renewed clashes since December.