In one of the deadliest waves of violence in South Sudan in recent months, local authorities have reported that at least 169 people were killed following an armed assault in the Abiemnom County. The attack involved a group of young men from the neighboring Mayom County in Unity State, who stormed the area, leaving behind a grim toll that includes 90 civilians such as women, children, and the elderly, alongside 79 government soldiers. The violence has raised serious concerns over the security situation in the country.

Minister of Information for the region, James Monyliok Mijok, indicated that the attack not only resulted in significant fatalities but also left around 50 individuals injured, including prominent local officials. In a grim turn of events, the bodies of the deceased were buried in a mass grave, and local health authorities have warned that the death toll may rise further as more bodies are discovered. This incident underscores the ever-increasing cycle of violence that South Sudan continues to experience, compounded by ongoing ethnic tensions and warfare in the region.

The violence has sparked outrage among local officials, with the Minister of Information labeling the incident as “a policy of extermination” that cannot be tolerated. He has called on the Unity State government to hold accountable those responsible for this brutal attack. Meanwhile, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has expressed deep concern regarding the escalating violence in Abiemnom, signaling an urgent need for intervention and protection of civilians amid the ongoing conflict that threatens to worsen the humanitarian crisis in the country.