By a staff member in Bentiu
After a two hour and ten minute flight from Juba, I find myself in Rubkona near Bentiu, capital of Unity state. Things look good, until I start to hear scary stories about aerial bombardment.
After a two hour and ten minute flight from Juba, I find myself in Rubkona near Bentiu, capital of Unity state. Things look good, until I start to hear scary stories about aerial bombardment.
"Every time you hear the sound of a plane flying over," they say, "everyone goes out to check whether it is a fighter jet or an Antonov."
Thank God, my first days are ok, although I worry constantly about what might happen.
* * *
23 April. This day is not good at all. I have just entered the office. I am connecting my laptop to the power supply, when suddenly we hear the sound of fighter jets.
We all run out of the office. Immediately the sound of heavy bombardment. Smoke rises above Rubkona and other parts in Bentiu. The fighter jets are flying over us. I take cover underneath the parked water tanker near the office. Suddenly, we hear gunshots.
The drama lasts about 15 minutes. I almost die of a heart attack. This is the first such experience in my life. I used to see such things on video, and movies.
I thank God that we survived. We are ok.
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| Fire rages at the market in Bentiu following the bombing raid on 23 April. [Photo: Michael Onyiego/AFP] |
South Sudan border town Bentiu bombed
Local people ran for their lives during the air raid 
To think I was in Bentiu not too long before these attacks!!The risks we encounter in our humanitarian work!
ReplyDeleteThe drama is worse for the civilians live or work in those areas, who must experience sheer terror each time they hear the sound of the aircraft. Tonight I saw news reports of civilians--including a seven year old boy--whose leg was amputated in the bombings over Bentiu.
ReplyDelete