Muscat: Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that its hospital serving over 200,000 individuals in Jonglei state, South Sudan, was hit by an airstrike.

According to Qatar News Agency, the hospital's main warehouse was destroyed during the attack, resulting in the loss of most critical supplies required for medical care. MSF emphasized that the South Sudan government forces are the only entities capable of conducting aerial attacks in the region.

The United Nations has highlighted that recent clashes in South Sudan are occurring at an intensity not observed since 2017, sparking concerns about the potential resurgence of civil war. Jonglei, situated in the east of the country bordering Ethiopia, has witnessed some of the most intense fighting as government forces attempt to thwart an offensive by Sudan People's Liberation Army loyalists.

MSF disclosed that one staff member sustained minor injuries during the airstrike on the hospital located in Lankien. The hospital was evacuated, and patients were discharged hours before the attack due to a warning of a potential strike.

In a related development, late last month, South Sudan's military instructed civilians and personnel from the United Nations mission and charitable organizations to evacuate three counties in Jonglei state in anticipation of a military operation against opposition forces. The UN mission has reported that recent hostilities have displaced at least 180,000 people in Jonglei.

South Sudan's civil war, waged from 2013 to 2018, was predominantly along ethnic lines, resulting in approximately 400,000 fatalities.