South Sudan army confirms carrying out aerial bombardment
JUBA, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) on Wednesday acknowledged carrying out what it termed as strategic aerial bombardments in Jonglei and Unity states.
"As of now, SSPDF Command has no comments to make on reported strategic bombing raids in Fangak and Mayom counties of Jonglei and Unity states, respectively," SSPDF spokesperson Lul Ruai Koang said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.
The airstrikes by the SSPDF in Kueryick village of Mayom County killed six people and wounded 12 others, according to the state's youth leader.
"The destruction inflicted upon civilians is unacceptable and violates fundamental human rights, undermining efforts toward peace and stability in the region," Nyadin Lual Gai, chairperson of Unity State Youth Union, said in a statement.
The airstrike near a World Food Program warehouse in New Fangak damaged a dike that protects local people from floods.
The military operation came after the bombing of a hospital run by the global medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) and a market in Old Fangak on Saturday, which left seven people dead and 27 others seriously injured.
The bombing of the health facility, which serves about 110,000 people, has since been strongly condemned by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, which monitors the implementation of the 2018 revitalized peace agreement.
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