(AP/Reuters) — The number of people killed in a weekend assault on a town in northern South Sudan has climbed to at least 169, regional officials said Monday, underscoring mounting instability in a country still struggling to sustain a fragile peace agreement.
James Monyluak Majok, information minister for the Ruweng Administrative Area, told The Associated Press and Reuters that 90 civilians and 79 government soldiers were among those killed when armed assailants stormed Abiemnhom in Ruweng on Sunday. He cautioned that the toll could increase as search efforts continue.
“We think this number may rise because when the attacks happened many people ran to the bush, and we still have some people who are missing,” Monyluak said in remarks conveyed to Reuters.
The attackers, described by local authorities as youth from Mayom County in neighboring Unity State, battled government forces for more than three hours, Monyluak said. He added that officials were still trying to determine the motive behind the assault.
Stephano Wieu De Mialek, chief administrator of Ruweng Administrative Area, characterized the violence as a coordinated operation involving elements linked to the White Army militia alongside fighters aligned with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), the party associated with opposition leader Riek Machar. He described the attack as an act of rebellion.
In a statement, Machar’s group rejected the allegation and asserted that it “has no military presence in the area concerned.”
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, said about 1,000 civilians sought protection at its base following the violence. The mission confirmed at least 23 people were wounded and expressed alarm over reports that dozens of civilians and local officials had been killed.
“Such violence places civilians at grave risk and must stop immediately,” Anita Kiki Gbeho, a senior UNMISS official, said in a statement. She urged all parties to halt hostilities and pursue dialogue to resolve grievances.
“Our peacekeepers will continue to do everything within their capabilities to protect civilians seeking refuge at our base,” she added.
Aid agencies operating in the region warned that limited humanitarian access and insecurity could hamper medical assistance and food distribution, particularly if clashes spread to neighboring areas.
The attack comes amid renewed friction between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and supporters of Machar, his longtime rival. The two men signed a 2018 peace agreement intended to end a five-year civil war that left an estimated 400,000 people dead. Under that accord, Machar returned to government as first vice president in a unity administration.
However, implementation of the deal has stalled repeatedly, and mutual distrust has persisted. Machar was removed from his post in September after facing criminal charges and is currently under house arrest in Juba as legal proceedings continue. His supporters contend the charges are politically motivated.
The United Nations has warned that South Sudan’s leadership is eroding key pillars of the 2018 agreement. A U.N. inquiry previously concluded that political actors were “systematically dismantling” the peace framework designed to unify rival forces and share power.
Violence intensified in December when opposition fighters seized government outposts in Jonglei state, a region considered an opposition stronghold and long a flashpoint in intercommunal fighting. The U.N. estimates that approximately 280,000 people have been displaced in recent months as clashes spread.
Government forces have mounted counteroffensives since January, employing aerial bombardments and ground assaults despite formal commitments to the peace accord.
The United States has urged renewed talks between Kiir and Machar, calling for restraint and a return to dialogue. Diplomatic observers note that South Sudan’s political crisis risks spilling into broader ethnic and regional tensions if not contained.
Nyakenya Johannes Keah, information minister for Unity State, did not respond to requests for comment regarding allegations that youth from Mayom County participated in the assault.
The surge in violence highlights the precarious state of South Sudan’s political settlement. Although large-scale civil war ended in 2018, the underlying drivers of conflict — competition for power, disputes over security sector reform and ethnic rivalries — remain largely unresolved.
Ruweng, rich in oil resources, occupies strategic and economic significance. Control over such areas can shape political leverage in Juba and influence negotiations over revenue sharing. Analysts say attacks in oil-producing regions may reflect deeper struggles over territorial authority rather than isolated communal disputes.
The continued fragmentation of armed groups also complicates accountability. Militias such as the White Army have historically operated with shifting alliances, sometimes aligning with opposition leaders while retaining local autonomy. That fluidity blurs command structures and hampers efforts to enforce ceasefires.
If political dialogue falters further, humanitarian conditions could deteriorate rapidly. South Sudan already faces food insecurity, flooding and limited infrastructure. Renewed displacement strains aid operations and heightens the risk of localized famine.
The coming weeks will test whether South Sudan’s leaders can revive confidence in the peace process or whether sporadic violence will spiral into broader confrontation. For civilians in Ruweng and beyond, the rising death toll underscores how fragile the promise of stability remains eight years after the country’s devastating civil war formally ended.
