Sudanese General al-Burhan’s warplanes (SAF) carried out an airstrike on the town of Khortumbak in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State on Tuesday, killing two civilians and injuring several others, local officials reported.
The airstrike, which targeted the area near the South Sudan-Sudan border, resulted in the deaths of two civilians who were working on their farms. The attack also caused injuries to others and led to the destruction of homes and livestock, according to Maban County Commissioner Peter Alberto.
He mentioned that civilians were also attacked while walking to a market and an aid distribution center.
While the motive behind the attack remains unclear, Alberto confirmed that he had informed the state governor. South Sudan People’s Defence Force spokesman, Major General Lul Ruai Koang, condemned the strike as unprovoked, emphasizing that South Sudan had not violated the 2012 non-aggression pact between the two countries.
“There has been no breach from our side; the agreement remains valid,” Koang stated.
Landlocked South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, controls three-quarters of the region’s oil, though it relies on Sudan’s pipelines for export.
General al-Burhan’s military has yet to issue a statement regarding the incident.
