Authorities in South Sudan say at least 169 people, including senior officials, were killed on Sunday after unidentified gunmen attacked an area in the northern part of the country. James Monyluak Mijok, Information Minister of the Ruweng Administrative Area, described the assailants as dozens of armed youths allegedly from neighboring Unity State. He further claimed they were linked to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO).
The SPLA-IO has denied involvement, accusing Unity State authorities of politicizing the violence. According to Mijok, the victims included 90 civilians — children, women, and elderly people — along with 79 members of regional security forces, including police officers. At least 50 others were injured and taken to the neighboring Abyei Administrative Area for treatment.
Speaking to the BBC, Mijok said the attackers stormed Abiemnom County in Ruweng before dawn, around 04:30 local time, catching residents off guard while they were asleep. He said government forces were outnumbered during the three- to four-hour clash, during which homes and markets were set ablaze. Several senior local officials, including the county commissioner and executive director, were reportedly killed.
Mijok stated that security forces have since repelled the attackers and restored control of the area. He also alleged that Unity State officials may have had prior knowledge of the assault, though authorities there have not responded to the claim. The motive behind the attack remains unclear. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reported that about 1,000 civilians sought refuge near its base following the violence. The mission expressed alarm over the recent surge in clashes in the region.
Anita Kiki Gbeho, officer in charge of UNMISS, warned that the violence puts civilians at serious risk and called for an immediate end to hostilities. She said peacekeepers have strengthened protective measures and are working with the South Sudanese government to restore calm. Emergency medical care is being provided to at least 23 injured individuals.Reports from local sources and AFP indicate that many victims were buried in a mass grave due to the high casualty figures and ongoing insecurity.
A similar attack in Abiemnom County last year left more than 42 civilians dead.Elsewhere in Jonglei State, the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said 26 of its staff were missing amid escalating clashes between government and opposition forces. The organization has suspended services in Lankien and Pieri, adding that its facility in Lankien was struck by a government air raid on 3 February.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, has faced persistent instability since gaining independence in 2011. The UN has warned that the country risks returning to full-scale civil war as a 2018 power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar continues to unravel.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/
