A bombing in Raja County of South Sudan bordering Sudan has resulted in injuries to at least 16 people and the killing of an unconfirmed number. The Western Bahr al Ghazal state government has accused the Sudanese government of carrying out the attack.

According to a medical source in Raja there were “multiple injuries due to this bombing” including injuries to the head, leg, hand and abdomen of various victims. The source said that he personally saw 16 wounded victims of the bombing but said he was unable to give an official figure for the total number of wounded. 

The victims arrived at Raja Hospital at around 5:00 in the morning. None of them have been transferred elsewhere in spite of serious injuries, he said. He also noted that bodies of several people had reportedly been sighted at the scene of the bombing but could not say how many.

Separately, the Western Bahr al Ghazal State Minister of Information Derek Alfred confirmed the bombing and said that it took place at Deim Jallab, resulting in two people killed and 17 injured. Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, he accused the Sudanese air force of carrying out the attack and described it as a violation of South Sudanese sovereignty.

The minister also referred to recent accusations from Khartoum that South Sudan is harboring Sudanese rebel forces, saying these were false and requesting the joint security committee of the two countries to send a verification mission to look into the accusations. 

Raja County is located in Western Bahr al Ghazal State and borders the Darfur region of Sudan to the north.