During the Second Sudanese Civil War, Gabriel Tanginye, commander of a pro-government Nuer militia had his base in Fangak.

[1] In the 1990s the SPLA-Nasir militia was said to have had its only prison at Fangak, which lies in the center of a malarial swamp.

[2] In February 2011, forces loyal to the rebel General George Athor attacked three operational outposts of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).

They briefly occupied the town of Fangak before withdrawing when SPLA troops arrived.

[4] Starting in July 2020, unusually heavy rains have flood the White Nile, destroying crops, farms and villages in Jonglei and other states in the area.