Africa-Press. At least 49 people were killed and 33 others injured following an attack by armed individuals on a seasonal cattle camp and a village in northwestern South Sudan.
The attack targeted the Akwaik cattle camp and the Mading Jor area in the Majak Payam County of Warrap State, according to an official statement.
The spokesperson for Warrap State, William Wol Mayom Bol, stated that the attack was carried out by a “cross-border armed criminal network,” extending condolences to the victims’ families and calling for restraint in the aftermath of the attack.
South Sudan, a young African nation, has suffered for years from violent raids targeting cattle, amid competition among herders for limited grazing land and water sources necessary for their livestock.
Local authorities condemned the attack, urging humanitarian organizations to assist in addressing what they described as a “humanitarian disaster resulting from conflict-induced displacement.”
The recent attack occurred less than three weeks after another raid in the same area that resulted in 60 deaths and 50 injuries.
These attacks come amid ongoing community violence linked to disputes over cattle, land, and natural resources, which represent one of the main sources of local instability in South Sudan.
Last year, President Salva Kiir Mayardit declared a state of emergency for six months across South Sudan due to escalating cattle raids and violence among local groups.
Earlier this August, the head of the United Nations mission in South Sudan, Anitta Kiiki Gbeho, expressed concern over the continued cycle of community violence in areas including Warrap State.
The recurrence of attacks raises fears about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in affected regions, as authorities face significant challenges in containing local conflicts and protecting populations from violence and displacement.
