By Micah Jonah
March 3, 2026
At least 169 people were killed after armed youths from Mayom County attacked Abiemnhom County on Sunday, officials said. Of the dead, 90 were civilians, including children, women, and the elderly, while 79 were government soldiers. Fifty others sustained injuries.
The attack lasted three to four hours before the army regained control. Among the victims were the county commissioner and executive director. Authorities buried the bodies in a mass grave, but officials warn the death toll may rise if more bodies are discovered.
The Government of Ruweng Administrative Area condemned the attack as “equivalent to genocide” and urged Unity State authorities to bring the culprits to justice.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) sheltered over 1,000 civilians at its local base and provided emergency medical care.
Separately, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported that 26 staff remain missing in Jonglei State following recent clashes, forcing suspension of medical services in Lankien and Pieri. Several staff are now displaced in remote areas with limited access to food, water, or basic services.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, continues to struggle with civil conflict, political instability, and humanitarian crises since gaining independence in 2011.
