Gunmen attack herders in South Sudan — at least 49 killed

At least 49 people were killed and 33 injured after armed cattle raiders from Unity state attacked a herders' community early on Thursday in Warap state, officials said. The assault struck a camp in Tonj North county and left dozens dead and wounded.

Violence linked to competition over pasture and water

“The deadly attack in Warap state began at about 5 a.m. local time on Thursday, when attackers from Unity state and others carried out a 'brutal attack' on a herders' camp in Tonj North county,” said William Wal Majom Bol, the state information minister. He expressed condolences to the victims' families and called for restraint while authorities from both states cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Nyakenia Johannes, the information minister for Unity state, told officials that not all of the assailants were from Unity and said government officials are working hard to ensure peaceful coexistence between communities in both regions.

Intercommunal and intertribal clashes are common in South Sudan, where pastoralists frequently compete for scarce grazing land and water for their livestock. The widespread availability of weapons among civilians has exacerbated the country's violence.

The attack comes as South Sudan prepares for presidential elections in December, the first since the country gained independence from its northern neighbor, Sudan, in 2011.

Photo: EPA-EFE/Sara Creta