Civilian casualties mount in South Sudan amid fighting between army and local militias

Wiyuach Makuach, a 60‑year‑old woman, lost her arm in a deadly airstrike on May 3 in Fangak, South Sudan, during a wave of attacks that killed seven people at a hospital, including a Doctors Without Borders facility. The strikes are part of escalating violence between South Sudan’s army and militia groups, which has killed and injured dozens of civilians in recent weeks. Many victims, including women and children, are being treated in Akobo, where the Red Cross has set up emergency medical support. The conflict, centered in the Greater Upper Nile region, follows renewed tensions after a militia overran a military base in March, sparking fears of a return to civil war, the Associated Press has reported. The government has not acknowledged responsibility for the airstrikes, and access to affected areas remains limited.