South Sudan’s Brutal Airstrikes: 60 Civilians Burned Alive in Alleged War Crimes

 

In a horrifying escalation of violence, South Sudanese forces have been accused of dropping makeshift incendiary weapons on civilians, leaving entire villages in flames and children charred beyond recognition.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has exposed a series of deadly airstrikes in Upper Nile State, where government forces allegedly killed nearly 60 people—including children—using improvised firebombs. The attacks, carried out between March 16 and 21, targeted multiple counties, with witnesses describing scenes of unimaginable horror. Survivors reported seeing victims with "black skin peeling off" and one man so badly burned that even his teeth were scorched. The brutality of these attacks has raised urgent questions about potential war crimes.

The deadliest strikes hit Mathiang village in Longechuk County, where at least 21 people were killed. Similar attacks devastated Nasir town, where 22 civilians died, and Kuich village, where 15 people—including three children—perished in flames. Witnesses described a propeller plane dropping barrels filled with incendiary substances, igniting homes and people in seconds. HRW has called the government’s actions "unlawful" and demanded immediate intervention from the United Nations to halt further atrocities.

South Sudan’s government has remained silent on HRW’s findings, but Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth previously defended the airstrikes as "security operations." His chilling remark—"If you as a civilian happen to be there… then there is nothing we can do"—suggests a blatant disregard for civilian lives. This callous attitude has drawn international condemnation, with rights groups warning that such attacks could reignite the civil war that the 2018 peace deal was meant to end.

The violence in Upper Nile State is part of a broader power struggle between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing First Vice President Riek Machar. The government has accused Machar’s supporters of collaborating with the White Army, a notorious Nuer militia, to destabilize the region. However, HRW’s evidence points to indiscriminate attacks on civilians rather than targeted military strikes, raising fears of ethnic cleansing and further atrocities.

With tensions escalating, HRW has urged the urgent deployment of peacekeeping forces to protect civilians. The international community must act before more lives are lost—because if these attacks continue unchecked, South Sudan risks plunging back into full-scale war.