A devastating early-morning raid in Upper Nile State’s Baliet County left at least 57 people dead and dozens more wounded, local authorities confirmed Friday, in one of the region’s deadliest attacks this year.
The assault occurred shortly after dawn in Adong Payam, where armed men stormed the settlement and fired on civilians, Baliet County Commissioner Joseph Deng said in an interview with Radio Tamazuj. He reported 65 injuries, 29 of them life-threatening.
“It is a heartbreaking day for the people of Adong,” Deng said. “We are still trying to account for all the missing residents.”
Local officials believe the gunmen came from neighbouring Ulang and Nasir counties, areas that have recently seen renewed conflict involving armed youth groups. Deng described the perpetrators as “criminal elements,” though he did not attribute the attack to a specific militia. Attempts to reach Ulang and Nasir authorities were unsuccessful.
In addition to the loss of life, the attackers reportedly seized more than 5,300 cattle, a massive blow to communities that depend heavily on livestock for survival. Hundreds of residents reportedly fled as the shooting began.
Deng said security forces had been monitoring the situation since clashes erupted in Nasir earlier this year, but were unprepared for an assault of this magnitude.
“The timing and the large number of attackers overwhelmed our forces,” he said.
Baliet County—located roughly 20 kilometres southeast of Malakal—sits near regions where the White Army, a loose network of armed Nuer youth, has previously engaged in violent confrontations with government units.
Cattle raiding, often driven by economic pressures, longstanding rivalries and the ready availability of weapons, remains a persistent threat to stability in South Sudan. The latest attack underscores the government’s continuing struggle to curb intercommunal violence despite repeated calls for tighter security measures.
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