50 injured in four days of violence along South Sudan border - MSF
In May, escalating violence along the South Sudan–Ethiopia border forced MSF to relocate its medical operations from the border town of Burbeiye, South Sudan, to Mattar, Ethiopia, amid intensified fighting and mass displacement in the region.
Over 50 people wounded in recent fighting have been treated at Renk County Hospital in South Sudan since June 27, Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has revealed.
In a statement on X, MSF revealed that it has erected three emergency medical tents at the facility to manage the sharp influx of casualties, as fighting intensifies across the border.
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However, growing numbers are putting significant pressure on the hospital's capacity to cope with the ongoing emergency.
Critically injured patients are being assessed for referral to Juba, where more advanced medical care is available.
"Our concern grows for the increasing pressure on Renk County Hospital's capacity to manage such patients as the war continues in Sudan," said MSF.
The organisation has been working in Renk since May 2023, supporting the County Hospital and running activities in adjacent informal settlements, but has been facing severe challenges.
In May, escalating violence along the South Sudan–Ethiopia border forced MSF to relocate its medical operations from the border town of Burbeiye, South Sudan, to Mattar, Ethiopia, amid intensified fighting and mass displacement in the region.
Thousands of South Sudanese refugees had initially fled to Burbeiye, which lies directly on the border, before continuing across into Ethiopian territory. The relocation of MSF's services mirrored the movement of displaced civilians seeking safety.
The surge in violence was sparked by armed clashes and ongoing exchanges of fire between the South Sudan People's Defence Forces and an opposition group. As insecurity worsened, most residents had fled Burbeiye by May 12, 2025.
On that same day, cross-border gunfire resulted in several civilian injuries. MSF treated nine wounded individuals, raising the total number of conflict-related patients seen at its Burbeiye facility to 217 since fighting intensified in Upper Nile state in February.
In June, MSF likewise permanently shut down operations at its hospital in Ulang County, Upper Nile, South Sudan, citing constant security threats.
The decision followed an incident in April when armed men stormed the facility, threatened staff and looted medical supplies, forcing the hospital to temporarily suspend its services.
However, the temporary suspension became permanent, with MSF also withdrawing its support from 13 primary health facilities in the area due to ongoing security threats.
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