Scores of civilians killed in attacks in South Sudan

Scores of Civilians Killed in Attacks in South Sudan

Violence in South Sudan has escalated, prompting the United Nations to express concerns that the nation might relapse into full-scale civil war. Recent assaults targeted villages, claiming the lives of numerous civilians, including children, women, and the elderly. Local authorities announced on Monday that at least 169 people were killed in an attack across several villages in Abiemnom County, Ruweng Administrative Area.

Of the casualties, 90 were civilians, according to regional Information Minister James Monyluak Mijok. He noted that the victims comprised women, children, and elderly individuals. Additionally, 79 government soldiers lost their lives in the incident. Monyluak warned that the death toll could still rise, citing ongoing threats to the area.

“The security situation has since stabilised, with government security forces deployed and now in control of the area,” Monyluak said.

Unidentified armed men carried out the attack on Sunday. To date, no group has taken responsibility for the violence. French news agency AFP reported initial speculation that a Nuer group might have targeted the villages in retaliation for the killing of several traders.

The UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan stated that it is “temporarily sheltering some 1,000 civilians within our base” and offering emergency medical care to the injured. The northern Ruweng region, which borders Sudan, became independent in 2011 after a long civil war. However, the country has not achieved lasting peace, with corruption and poverty persisting.

Fighting has grown more severe in the past year between government forces aligned with President Salva Kiir and opposition fighters loyal to Riek Machar. The two leaders previously shared power under a coalition agreement, but its collapse has reignited hostilities, leading the UN to describe the conflict as “all-out civil war.”

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) suspended medical services in parts of Jonglei state after an airstrike damaged one of its facilities, leaving 26 staff members missing. The UN has documented the displacement of around 280,000 individuals due to ongoing conflict in the region.