Unknown gunmen attacked a gold mining site in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state, killing at least 73 miners and injuring dozens, officials said Monday.
The assault unfolded Saturday evening in Jebel Iraq, where armed attackers stormed the mining area, leaving bodies scattered and families searching anxiously for missing relatives.
Vice President James Wani Igga said preliminary assessments confirmed 73 deaths and at least 25 serious injuries, warning the toll could rise as searches continue.
He condemned the attack as a cowardly and senseless act, calling it a grave assault on life and a threat to fragile national stability.
Igga said the government immediately ordered emergency medical assistance for survivors and strengthened security deployments around mining sites vulnerable to armed violence.
Authorities also launched a formal investigation, pledging accountability and justice for those responsible for one of the deadliest recent attacks on civilian workers.
The vice president urged citizens to remain calm but vigilant, encouraging cooperation with security forces through information that could help identify the attackers.
Central Equatoria Deputy Governor Paulino Lukudu Obede denounced the killings as barbaric, describing the violence as a serious breach of international humanitarian law.
He said authorities were taking concrete measures to prevent further attacks and ensure perpetrators face justice under national and international legal standards.
An eyewitness told Anadolu Agency by phone that gunmen arrived at dusk and opened fire indiscriminately on people gathered near a busy market area.
The witness said several bodies lay on the ground after the shooting, adding that the identities and motives of the attackers remain unknown.
