At least 169 people killed in South Sudan attack

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At least 169 people killed in South Sudan attack

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Authorities in South Sudan said at least 169 people, including senior officials, were killed Sunday when a group of unidentified men launched an attack on an area in the country’s north.

Describing the attack as having been carried out by dozens of armed youths, Ruweng Administrative Zone Information Minister James Monyluak Mijok said they came from neighboring Unity State and were linked to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO).

The SPLA-IO denied any involvement in the attack, accusing Unity State authorities of politicizing the violence.

The UN has repeatedly warned that the country risks falling back into full-scale civil war.

“Among the dead are 90 children, women and elderly people, as well as 79 members of the regional forces, including the police,” Mijok said.

Fifty others were injured and the majority of them were taken to the neighboring Abyei administrative zone, where they are being treated, the official added.

Mijok told the BBC that the attackers entered Abiemnom county in Ruweng before dawn on Sunday, around 04:30 local time (02:30 GMT), while people were still sleeping and “surprised” them.

He said government forces on the ground “were outnumbered… The attackers burned down homes and markets during fighting that lasted between three and four hours.” Several high-ranking local officials were killed, including the county commissioner and executive director.

Mijok said government forces had since driven out the attackers and authorities were now in full control.

He also said Unity State officials “must have known” about the plan to target Ruweng. Unity State authorities have not responded to the accusation. It is not clear what may have triggered the attack.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (Unmiss) said around 1,000 civilians began seeking protection near its base in the affected area. The mission said it was alarmed by the increase in violence in the region over the past 48 hours.

“Such violence puts civilians at serious risk and must stop immediately,” said Anita Kiki Gbeho, officer in charge of Unmiss.

“The mission has strengthened its protection posture and is working with the government of South Sudan to support urgent efforts to restore calm and protect affected communities,” she added.

Peacekeepers provide emergency medical care to at least 23 people injured in the clashes. The mission called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and engage in dialogue.

Victims of the attack were buried in a mass grave on Sunday due to the high number of casualties and ongoing security concerns, according to local reports and the AFP news agency.

A similar incident in Abiemnom County last year left more than 42 civilians dead.

Following clashes in another part of the country, Jonglei state, medical charity MSF said 26 of its staff were missing after weeks of escalating violence between government and opposition forces.

The charity has now suspended medical services in two parts of the state: Lankien and Pieri.

The NGO added that its facilities in Lankien were hit by a government airstrike on February 3.

“Many of our colleagues have been forced to flee the violence alongside their families. Several are now displaced, taking refuge in remote areas with little access to food, water or basic services,” the press release added.

South Sudan, the world’s newest country, has been plagued by civil war, poverty and corruption since its creation in 2011.

The UN has warned that “all-out civil war” could return as a 2018 power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and his longtime rival Riek Machar collapsed over the past year.