At least 169 people have been killed and buried in a mass grave in northern South Sudan, local officials said Monday, underscoring a sharp escalation in violence in the fragile nation.
The killings occurred early Sunday in Abiemnom County, near the Sudan border. Elizabeth Achol, health minister of the northern Ruweng Administrative Area, confirmed that 169 bodies had been interred in a mass burial. Local Information Minister James Monyluak gave the same toll, noting that the victims included women, children and elderly residents, with fears the number could rise as more bodies are recovered.
A diplomatic source, speaking anonymously, estimated the death toll at about 70 but warned it could increase. Initial reports suggested the attack may have been carried out by members of an ethnic Nuer group, possibly in retaliation for the killing of traders, though no group has claimed responsibility.
Many residents have fled to neighbouring villages, while others sought refuge at a nearby United Nations base. Monyluak said government security forces have since been deployed and the situation is now under control.
A spokesperson for the UN Mission in South Sudan said peacekeepers were sheltering around 1,000 civilians at their base and providing emergency medical assistance to the injured.
The massacre comes amid mounting instability in the world’s youngest nation, which gained independence in 2011. A fragile power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and his longtime rival, Riek Machar, has deteriorated over the past year, raising concerns about a possible return to full-scale civil war.
Clashes between government and opposition forces have intensified in Jonglei State in recent months, displacing an estimated 280,000 people, according to the UN. Humanitarian workers have also been affected. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Monday that 26 staff members were missing after an airstrike struck one of its facilities, forcing the suspension of medical services in Lankien and Pieri.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed alarm over the worsening crisis, urging swift action to prevent further bloodshed.
