169 Feared Dead, Including Children, in Massacre in South Sudan

At least 169 people, including women, children and the elderly, have been killed and buried in a mass grave following a brutal attack in Abiemnom County, northern South Sudan, near the Sudan border, local officials said Monday.

Elizabeth Achol, health minister of the Ruweng Administrative Area, and Information Minister James Monyluak confirmed the death toll, warning that the figure could rise as more bodies are recovered. However, a diplomatic source estimated the number of fatalities at about 70, noting that investigations are ongoing. No group has claimed responsibility, though initial reports suggest the attack may have been carried out by an ethnic Nuer group in possible retaliation for the killing of traders.

The massacre comes amid escalating violence in South Sudan, where a fragile power-sharing agreement between President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar has deteriorated, raising fears of a return to full-scale civil war. The United Nations has warned of worsening instability in the country, which has struggled with conflict, poverty and corruption since gaining independence in 2011.

Following the attack, many residents fled to nearby villages, while about 1,000 civilians sought refuge at a UN base, where peacekeepers are providing shelter and emergency medical care. Authorities say security forces have since been deployed to stabilize the area.

Meanwhile, clashes in Jonglei State over the past two months have displaced around 280,000 people, according to the UN. Humanitarian operations have also been affected, with Doctors Without Borders reporting that 26 staff members are missing after an airstrike on one of its facilities, prompting the suspension of services in parts of the state.