October 19, 2026 PANRIENG, South Sudan — At least nine people were killed and six wounded in
attacks on two communities in South Sudan’s Ruweng Administrative Area, local
authorities said Monday.
The attack occurred at about 11 p.m. on Sunday in Baal Payam of Lake-No County and
Pochod Boma in Alilang Payam, Aliny County, according to Tony Chol Ayat, Ruweng’s
caretaker minister of information.
Tony Chol Ayat said nine people were killed and six wounded during the attacks. In Baal
Payam, those injured included two men, one young woman, one child, and two other
women.
Authorities reported that 501 heads of cattle were raided in Baal Payam and 471 in
Pochod Boma. Officials also said five cattle byres and 15 huts were burned in Baal
Payam, while four cattle byres and one hut were destroyed in Pochod Boma. Nine
additional huts at the petroleum protection barracks in Nyoklith were also reported
burned.
Ruweng authorities blamed armed youth from the Bul and Leek communities of Unity
State for the attacks.
Local youth pursued the attackers following the cattle raids, according to Tony Chol
Ayat, although details regarding casualties during the pursuit were not immediately
clear.
However, Nyakenya Johannes Keah Ruai, Unity State’s caretaker minister of
information, said authorities were still investigating the incident and had not established
the identities of those responsible.
We’re still trying to find out exactly who those people who carried out the attacks
Nyakenya Johannes Keah Ruai said. She added that Unity State authorities had spoken
with county commissioners in Ruweng and dispatched forces to determine what
happened.
The attacks are the latest in a series of violent incidents involving communities in
Ruweng and neighboring areas. Earlier this month, at least eight people were killed and
seven others injured in an armed attack on Panlou village near Panrieng town in
Ruweng Administrative Area. Ruweng officials extended condolences to the families of
those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery. Investigations into the incident
are ongoing.
