Gunmen attacked a seasonal cattle camp and village in Warrap State early on Thursday, killing at least 49 people and wounding 33 others, according to local officials. The raid targeted Machar-Pakuek cattle camp and Mading Juer Boma in Tonj North County.
Details of the attack
Officials said the assault occurred in Majak Payam, Tonj North County. The victims included residents of the village and herders at the cattle camp. Warrap State spokesperson William Wol Mayom Bol described the perpetrators as members of an armed cross-border criminal network.
Previous incidents
The attack followed a similar raid three weeks earlier in the same area that left 60 people dead and 50 wounded. South Sudan has experienced repeated cycles of violent cattle raids linked to competition over grazing land and water.
Official response
The local government condemned the incident and appealed for humanitarian assistance to address displacement caused by the violence. President Salva Kiir had previously declared a six-month state of emergency last year due to a surge in inter-communal raids.
UN concerns
UNMISS head Anita Kiki Gbeho has recently highlighted ongoing communal violence in areas such as Warrap. [TO VERIFY: casualty figures remain preliminary and require confirmation from additional official sources]
