By Hou Akot Hou
At least 26 people have reportedly been killed and 30 others injured in communal violence between two groups in Tonj East County, Warrap State, following a road ambush at Madeer village on Tuesday.
Tonj East County Caretaker Commissioner Machuei Biith Bol said the violence began when a group allegedly linked to the Akook section ambushed members of the Thiik section, killing several people and triggering retaliatory attacks.
According to Biith, the initial incident reportedly left four people dead, including a woman, prompting armed youth from the affected community to launch revenge attacks.
“What happened is that there was an attack in a road ambush by a group believed to be from Akook against the Thiik section at Madeer village. The initial deaths involved a young man and a woman, which led to armed youth fighting among themselves, resulting in over 20 people dead and another 30 injured,” Biith said.
He said armed men from the Thiik section subsequently retaliated against members of the Akook section, escalating the violence in the county.
The commissioner said he immediately informed the Warrap State governor about the deteriorating security situation and requested urgent intervention to contain the clashes.
“I communicated immediately with my boss yesterday, and he pledged to coordinate with the highest military authorities to find a way of sending military forces to the scene, where the situation had become chaotic. That is what we are hoping for to bring normalcy back,” Biith said.
He expressed hope that the deployment of security forces would help restore calm and prevent further loss of life.
The latest violence adds to continuing concerns over communal clashes in Warrap State, where cycles of revenge killings have repeatedly threatened civilian safety and disrupted community relations.
The incident also raises questions about security preparations in rural areas ahead of South Sudan’s scheduled December 22, 2026, general elections, particularly in communities experiencing persistent insecurity.
Restoring security, protecting civilians, and addressing the underlying causes of communal violence will be essential to creating conditions in which residents can participate safely in the electoral process.
Authorities had not yet provided a comprehensive account of the casualties or confirmed whether security forces had reached the affected area at the time of reporting.