At least 169 people have been killed in a massacre in northern South Sudan, where victims were buried in a mass grave following a brutal attack in Abiemnom County, officials said.
The killings occurred early Sunday in Abiemnom County, near the border with Sudan, according to authorities in the Ruweng Administrative Area.
“A total of 169 bodies have been laid to rest in a mass grave,” said Elizabeth Achol, the region’s health minister.
Information Minister James Monyluak confirmed the toll, saying the victims included women, children and the elderly, warning that the number could rise as search efforts continue.
A diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, gave a lower estimate of about 70 deaths but said the figure was likely to increase.
Preliminary reports indicate the attack may have been carried out by members of the Nuer community, possibly in retaliation for the killing of several traders. No group has claimed responsibility.
The violence has triggered fresh displacement, with residents fleeing to nearby villages and others seeking refuge at a base run by the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
UN peacekeepers are currently sheltering about 1,000 civilians and providing emergency medical care to the wounded, a mission spokesperson said.
Authorities say security forces have since been deployed and the situation is now under control.
The latest killings come amid rising tensions across South Sudan, where clashes between government and opposition forces have intensified in recent months, particularly in Jonglei state. The UN estimates that around 280,000 people have been displaced in the area.
Humanitarian operations have also been hit. Medecins San Frontieres said 26 of its staff were missing after an airstrike struck one of its facilities, forcing the suspension of medical services in Lankien and Pieri.
The deteriorating security situation has raised alarm internationally. UN Human rights chief Volker Turk warned last week that the country risks sliding back into widespread conflict without urgent intervention.
South Sudan has struggling with instability since gaining independence in 2011/
A fragile power-sharing deal between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar-which ended a five-year civil war-has weakened over the past year, fueling concerns that the country could again descend into war.
