At least 60 people, including 15 suspected assailants, were killed in two armed attacks on Sunday in Tonj North County, Warrap State, in northwestern South Sudan. According to local authorities, about 50 people were also injured. William Wol Mayom Bol, Minister of Information for Warrap State, stated in a press release sent to AFP on Tuesday that the two attacks, which occurred simultaneously around 4 a.m., were “likely coordinated.” Cattle were also stolen during the violence, though no precise count of the stolen livestock has been provided.
Among the injured, 17 were transferred to Wau for medical treatment. Government forces have been deployed to the affected areas to restore order, protect civilians, and prevent potential reprisals, according to officials. The Minister of Information condemned the attacks and announced measures to ensure the perpetrators are prosecuted. In 2025, President Salva Kiir declared a six-month state of emergency in Warrap State following an upsurge in violence linked to cattle raiding and inter-communal reprisals.
A recurring cycle of violence: South Sudan, independent from Sudan since 2011, frequently faces communal violence related to access to water and grazing land, as well as cattle theft. These attacks often trigger cycles of inter-communal retaliation. In early August, the head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Anita Kiki Gbeho, warned the UN Security Council about the persistence of this violence, particularly in Warrap and Lakes states. She highlighted the consequences for civilian populations, including displacement and the loss of livelihoods. Since the beginning of 2026, 36 humanitarian workers have also been killed in the country, according to the UN official.
Uncertain elections: This violence occurs as South Sudan is scheduled to hold its first elections in December, a vote promised for several years and repeatedly postponed. However, the security situation casts doubt on the feasibility of holding the vote in several regions. The country is experiencing an intensification of clashes between government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and armed groups linked to his political rival, former Vice President Riek Machar. Political tensions overlap with communal rivalries, particularly between the Dinka, to whom Salva Kiir belongs, and the Nuer, the community of Riek Machar.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-12 17:38:40 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://2424.mg/insecurite-au-moins-60-morts-dans-deux-attaques-liees-a-des-vols-de-betail-dans-le-nord-ouest-du-soudan-du-sud/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=insecurite-au-moins-60-morts-dans-deux-attaques-liees-a-des-vols-de-betail-dans-le-nord-ouest-du-soudan-du-sud