JUBA — Around 60 people were killed in a cattle raid in South Sudan, according to local officials, in the latest outbreak of intercommunal violence driven by competition over livestock and resources.
The incident occurred in an area where cattle raiding has repeatedly triggered cycles of revenge attacks between armed communities, although details of the latest violence, including the identities of those responsible and the number of cattle taken, were not immediately independently verified.
South Sudan has struggled to contain cattle-related violence, particularly in rural areas where livestock are a major source of wealth and an important part of social and economic life. The spread of firearms has made raids increasingly deadly, according to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
UNMISS has previously warned that cattle raiding in states including Lakes, Jonglei and Unity has contributed to killings, displacement and retaliation between communities. A UNMISS initiative in Lakes state last year said cattle raids had become more lethal as automatic weapons proliferated.
The violence comes amid broader instability in South Sudan, where intercommunal clashes and fighting involving armed groups have continued despite a 2018 peace agreement. Human Rights Watch said intercommunal violence linked to cattle raiding, revenge attacks, political influence and competition for natural resources remained a major source of civilian casualties.
Recent incidents illustrate the continuing pattern. In June, at least 14 people were killed and 23 wounded in an attack on a cattle camp in Unity State, according to the state information minister. More than 200 cattle were reported stolen.
In another recent episode, violence between communities in Warrap and neighboring Western Bahr el Ghazal states left seven people dead and 56 cattle raided, according to a report citing Warrap's information minister.
The latest reported deaths underscore the difficulty of containing armed cattle raiding in a country where weak security infrastructure, economic hardship and longstanding communal rivalries can quickly turn livestock disputes into wider violence.
Authorities had yet to provide a fuller official account of the latest incident, including the confirmed death toll, injuries or arrests, leaving the circumstances of the raid subject to further verification.
