Jonglei's Scorched Earth: South Sudan's War on Civilian Life Support

In the volatile landscape of South Sudan’s Jonglei State, a stark pattern of destruction has emerged, painting a grim picture of conflict that extends far beyond conventional battle lines. The incident at Lankien, where doctors from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) rushed to evacuate patients before a bomb struck the empty hospital on February 3, serves as a chilling testament to a broader strategy of annihilation.

Following a military counteroffensive by South Sudan’s army, aimed at retaking territory from opposition armed groups, reports from Jonglei detail a systematic dismantling of civilian infrastructure. Residents returning to Lankien after fleeing mortar fire on February 7 described a scene of devastation: a hospital looted and burned, its critical cold-chain storage unit for vaccines set ablaze, vehicles stripped for parts, and solar-powered water systems dismantled. The local market, once a hub of commerce, was reduced to twisted metal, while homes on the outskirts lay in ashes.

Emmerson Gono, deputy head of mission for MSF, who visited Lankien in April, assessed the scene with a stark conclusion: “Anything that can support the life of human beings was deliberately destroyed.” This assessment aligns with findings from the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), which analysed satellite imagery, verified videos, and witness accounts. CIR’s documentation of 23 incidents between late January and February across a swathe of Jonglei—a region long considered a stronghold of opposition groups—indicates widespread burning and looting of civilian structures, including homes, health facilities, and markets.

CIR researcher Kiria Borak noted that satellite imagery mapped troop movements from west to east coinciding with a path of burning and looting. While CIR cautiously stressed that imagery alone cannot determine intent or responsibility, its findings suggest the destruction was “likely to be more widespread and potentially part of what it described as a deliberate military strategy.” Both government and opposition forces have faced accusations of razing villages and attacking civilians. Crucially, more than a dozen residents told Al Jazeera they believe the military was responsible for targeted destruction, particularly in an area inhabited by a section of the Nuer ethnic group, often cast as hostile by officials.

The implications of such a strategy are dire and far-reaching. The deliberate destruction of essential services—hospitals, vaccine storage, water systems, markets—transcends typical conflict collateral. It signals a shift towards making territories uninhabitable, weaponising the very fabric of civilian life. This targeted deconstruction, as experts note, has already pushed tens of thousands of people towards the brink of famine, exacerbating an already severe humanitarian crisis. It creates a vacuum of basic needs, ensuring that even if hostilities cease, the population remains vulnerable and dependent, hindering any prospect of stable recovery or return.

Beyond the immediate humanitarian catastrophe, this systematic destruction poses profound challenges to post-conflict reconciliation and state-building in South Sudan. When the means of survival—from healthcare to livelihood—are purposefully dismantled, it erodes trust, fuels grievances, and entrenches cycles of violence. The conflicting accusations and the difficulty in definitively attributing responsibility create an environment ripe for impunity, further destabilising a region where officials already cast certain ethnic groups as hostile. This ongoing war on viability undermines any declared 'Operation Enduring Peace', ensuring that peace remains a distant, fragile aspiration when the foundations of life itself are under deliberate assault.