At least 169 people have been killed in a brutal attack in South Sudan ’s Ruweng Administrative Area, officials confirmed as the government urged calm amid growing fears that the young nation is sliding back into widespread conflict.
Local authorities say dozens of armed youths from Mayom County in neighbouring Unity State stormed into Abiemnhom County on Sunday in what has been described as a coordinated assault on civilians and government positions.
The latest figures, provided by the area’s information minister, James Monyluak Mijok, indicate that 90 of the dead were civilians, including children, women and the elderly, while the rest were security forces trying to repel the attack.
Among the deceased were the county commissioner and the executive director, highlighting the devastating blow not only to local residents but also to regional leadership. Fifty others sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe.
Government Response and Burial
Authorities say all 169 bodies were laid in a mass grave on Monday, a grim testament to the scale of the violence that unfolded during hours of fighting.
Officials have warned that the death toll could rise further as more remains are discovered and identified.
The Government of the Ruweng Administrative Area condemned the attack in the strongest terms, labelling it “barbaric” and equivalent to genocide, and calling on neighbouring Unity state to help bring those responsible to justice.
UN Peacekeepers Shelter Civilians
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said it was alarmed by the surge in violence, noting that its peacekeepers had taken more than 1,000 civilians under protection at their base in Abiemnom.
Medical care is being provided to the injured, though the needs far outstrip resources.
“Such violence places civilians at grave risk and must stop immediately,” said Anita Kiki Gbeho, Officer in Charge of UNMISS, in a statement urging all parties to de-escalate and restore calm.
Backdrop of Instability
The attack comes against a backdrop of a fragile and deteriorating peace in South Sudan.
A peace agreement signed in 2018 aimed to end years of civil war between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and those aligned with opposition leader Riek Machar.
While it brought a temporary lull in large-scale fighting, implementation has been slow and violence has persisted.
Tensions escalated further when Machar was removed as first vice president and placed under house arrest on criminal charges last year, a move that critics say undermined the peace deal and emboldened rival armed groups.
Human rights monitors have reported a sharp rise in civilian killings across the country, with rights violations surging even in areas previously thought to be relatively stable.
Wider Conflict Dynamics
South Sudan’s security landscape is increasingly complex.
In addition to clashes in Ruweng, recent reports document attacks luring civilians with promises of aid before opening fire, such as in Pankor village in Jonglei State, illustrating how violence has spread into farming communities and displaced populations.
The United Nations has warned that the nation is at a dangerous point, with escalating violence and deep political uncertainty threatening to unravel the fragile peace that ended a five-year civil war that killed an estimated 400,000 people and displaced millions.
Humanitarian Concerns
International humanitarian organisations, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), have reported worsening conditions on the ground.
MSF has temporarily suspended services in parts of Jonglei State due to insecurity and has raised alarms over missing staff following recent clashes.
The upsurge in violence has left communities cut off from essential services, exacerbating food insecurity and displacement.
With peace still elusive, many fear South Sudan could regress into full-scale civil conflict unless political dialogue and security reforms are urgently revived.
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