14 killed in communal revenge attack in Warrap’s Gogrial East

KUAJOK – Authorities in South Sudan’s Warrap State have confirmed that at least 14 people were killed and five others wounded in a deadly communal clash in Gogrial East County, triggered by a suspected revenge attack between two neighbouring communities.

The violence reportedly erupted after a man from the Nyar-muong cattle-keeping community was killed by a suspect believed to be from the Jur-man-Anger community. According to local authorities, the suspect fled the scene and was later seen heading toward the Jur-man-Anger section of Gogrial East County, prompting armed Nyar-muong youth to launch a retaliatory attack.

Warrap State Information Minister Mameer Baath said the incident took the state by surprise due to the high number of casualties recorded in what he described as a revenge killing.

“What happened is that a man from the Nyar-muong community was killed by a suspect they believe hails from Jur-man-Anger, who remains at large. When he was seen heading toward Jur, able-bodied men launched an attack, leaving 14 people dead and five others injured,” Baath said.

He added that Division 11 forces of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) were swiftly deployed to the area to contain the violence and restore calm.

“The SSPDF Division 11 forces have been sent to the chaotic scene, and the fighting has been brought to a standstill,” the minister said.

Baath noted that the incident has heightened fear among residents of Gogrial East County, with many concerned about possible further reprisals. He said security forces have been stationed in the area to prevent renewed violence and to de-escalate tensions between the communities.

“The forces are also carrying out disarmament, and we are doing everything possible to ensure this does not happen again,” he said, warning that the government is determined to prevent revenge killings from spreading to other communities.

He added that authorities are scaling up efforts to ensure that similar incidents do not spill over into wider intercommunal conflict, particularly in areas where communities have previously lost loved ones to violence involving neighbouring groups.

The latest incident underscores the recurring cycle of communal violence in Warrap State, which has often been attributed to weak reconciliation efforts among communities, despite a state of emergency declared by President Salva Kiir earlier in 2025.

It remains unclear how such developments will affect ongoing peacebuilding efforts in the state, even as the newly installed governor has pledged to prioritise stability, reconciliation, and the rule of law in Warrap.