At least 169 people have been killed and buried in a mass grave in South Sudan, local officials told AFP on Monday, marking the latest spike in violence in the country.
South Sudan, one of the world’s poorest nations, has witnessed a sharp rise in clashes, with forces loosely aligned to either the government of President Salva Kiir or opposition groups engaging in violent confrontations.
The unrest has displaced thousands of residents.
“A total of 169 bodies have been laid to rest in a mass grave,” Elizabeth Achol, the minister of health in northern Ruweng Administrative Area, told AFP by telephone.
James Monyluak, the local information minister, confirmed the same toll following the early Sunday attack, adding that “the figure may increase further if more bodies are discovered.”
He noted that the victims included women, children, and elderly people.
Monyluak also reported that around 50 others were injured and sent to medical facilities in Abyei and Warrap State for treatment.
A diplomatic source informed AFP that preliminary reports suggest the Abiemnom attack was carried out by a Nuer group, possibly as retaliation for the killing of traders.
No organization has claimed responsibility for the assault.
Monyluak explained that many residents had fled to nearby villages, while others sought protection at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan compound in the county.
“The security situation has since stabilised, with government security forces deployed and now in control of the area,” he added.
A UNMISS spokesperson said that, following the violence, peacekeepers were “temporarily sheltering some 1,000 civilians within our base in the area and providing emergency medical care to the injured.”
