Scores of civilians killed in attacks in South Sudan

Scores of Civilians Killed in Attacks in South Sudan

Escalating violence in South Sudan has prompted the United Nations to issue a warning that the nation may once again plunge into civil war. Recent assaults targeted multiple villages, resulting in at least 169 fatalities, according to local officials. The majority of these casualties, 90 individuals, were civilians, including children, women, and elderly people. Additionally, 79 government soldiers were among the deceased.

Unidentified armed assailants struck villages in Abiemnom County, Ruweng Administrative Area, on Sunday. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks. French news agency AFP reported early speculation that a Nuer faction might have been retaliating against the deaths of several traders. Regional Information Minister James Monyluak Mijok noted that the security situation had stabilized, with government forces now in control of the area.

The UN peacekeeping mission stated that approximately 1,000 civilians were temporarily sheltered within their base, receiving emergency medical aid. This region, located in the north, borders Sudan, from which South Sudan gained independence in 2011 after years of civil conflict. Despite this, the newly formed nation has not ended internal strife, nor has it resolved widespread corruption and persistent poverty.

Fighting has grown more intense over the past year between President Salva Kiir’s loyalists and Riek Machar’s fighters. The two leaders previously shared power through a coalition agreement, but its collapse has triggered what the UN describes as an “all-out civil war.” The organization has documented the displacement of around 280,000 people from Jonglei state due to ongoing conflict.

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

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced on Monday that it would halt medical services in parts of Jonglei state following an airstrike that damaged one of its facilities. This incident left 26 staff members missing, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.