The US embassy in South Sudan accused government soldiers Tuesday of raiding a World Food Program boat carrying humanitarian aid.
The embassy said the attack on Sept. 7 in New Fangak targeted supplies meant for civilians facing severe food insecurity.
Personnel from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces were identified as the perpetrators, marking a troubling pattern of armed predation.
The statement added that stolen goods were replaced on Sept. 20, but warned this reflects worsening interference with aid operations.
“This is especially egregious because those involved are entrusted with their country’s security and responsibility to protect civilians,” the embassy said.
Officials urged South Sudanese leaders to end interference, highlighting access denials in famine-risk areas of Upper Nile State as particularly damaging.
Such blockages, the embassy said, prevent delivery of life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable communities across the region.
The incident underscores broader concerns about looting, rent-seeking, and exploitation by armed groups and individuals in positions of authority.
Aid organisations operating in South Sudan have faced increasing obstacles, forcing delays in critical food and medical support for civilians.
Anadolu News was unable to obtain an immediate response from army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang regarding the allegations.
The embassy’s statement frames the raid not as an isolated act, but as a symptom of entrenched instability and corruption.
Humanitarian observers warn that continued interference threatens to worsen the humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands at risk of hunger and deprivation.
As tensions persist, international calls for accountability and protection of aid corridors grow louder across diplomatic and aid communities.
