The death toll has risen to 169 after armed youth launched a deadly assault on Abiemnom County in South Sudan’s Ruweng Administrative Area, officials confirmed Monday.
Dozens of fighters from neighbouring Unity State attacked early Sunday, unleashing hours of violence that left communities devastated and survivors fleeing burning homes and markets.
Ruweng Information Minister James Monyluak Mijok Thon said at least 50 people were injured as attackers set fire to residential areas and commercial centres.
Among those killed were Awarpiny County Commissioner Paulino Wal Monychikat and Executive Director Mawien Majith, senior officials who died during the intense confrontation.
Authorities described the clash as a fierce battle lasting three to four hours before government forces succeeded in driving the attackers from the area.
The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces later secured Abiemnom County, restoring local authority after armed groups withdrew following sustained military resistance.
Regional officials condemned the assault as a barbaric act targeting civilians, describing the scale of killings as comparable to genocide and demanding accountability.
They called on Unity State authorities to investigate the incident and hold those responsible for what they described as a coordinated attack on civilians and security forces.
Despite deep grief, the Ruweng administration reaffirmed its commitment to justice, human rights, and peace, announcing a three-day mourning period for the victims.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan voiced alarm over escalating violence, warning that civilians remained at severe risk amid the deteriorating security situation.
UN peacekeepers sheltered more than 1,000 civilians at their base while providing emergency medical care to those wounded during the clashes, the mission said.
UNMISS official Anita Kiki Gbeho urged an immediate cessation of hostilities and renewed dialogue, as peacekeepers reinforced protection efforts for displaced civilians seeking refuge.
