At least 14 people, including six children, were killed in a cattle raid in South Sudan’s Unity State, local authorities said on Wednesday, June 3. The attack took place late on Tuesday in Padang Payam, where armed assailants allegedly raided a community and stole around 200 cattle.
Unity State Information Minister Nyakenya Johannes Keah said the victims included six children, six men, one woman and a teenage girl. She warned that the death toll could rise as investigations continue.
According to Keah, the attackers were armed youths from the neighbouring Ruweng Administrative Area who drove the stolen cattle into the area after the raid. However, Ruweng Administrative Area Information Minister Salva Nyok denied the allegations when contacted by AFP.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over insecurity and cattle-related violence in South Sudan. An internal security report dated Monday warned that young men were being mobilised for cattle raids in Jonglei State, an area that has recently experienced intense clashes involving government and opposition forces.
The report cautioned that although the planned activities were described as cattle raids, the violence could escalate beyond local disputes and draw in broader political and communal actors, further destabilising the region.