Death toll from Abiemnom attack rises to 176 as wounded succumb to injuries

JUBA – The death toll from the March 1 attack in Abiemnom County of the Ruweng Administrative Area has risen to 176 after several people wounded in the assault later died while receiving treatment, local authorities said.

James Monyliak Majok, the Minister of Information and Communication in the Ruweng Administrative Area, said seven injured victims died at the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital in Abyei, raising the number of fatalities from the initially reported 169.

Majok said many of those killed in the attack were civilians, including women, children, and elderly people.

Health facilities treating survivors remain under pressure as dozens of wounded patients continue to receive care, with some in critical condition.

“Some patients are still in critical condition with severe gunshot wounds to the head,” Majok said, noting that the medical teams are struggling to manage the large number of casualties.

At the MSF-supported hospital in Abyei, authorities say the facility has reached full capacity.

“All the beds are full of patients. The hospital is full,” said Ayom, a local official involved in coordinating the response.

He added that the United Nations has assisted by evacuating some patients to other facilities, while the government has provided additional tents to ease congestion and create more treatment space.

More than 100 residents reportedly responded to a blood donation appeal issued on Monday to support the treatment of the wounded. Health partners, including MSF, are also providing medicines and other essential medical supplies.

The March 1 attack initially left at least 169 civilians dead, including the county commissioner and the executive director of Awarpiny County, and injured more than 100 others.

Some victims were transferred to health facilities outside the immediate area. In Twic County, 14 patients were admitted to Mother Teresa Hospital following the violence. Hospital officials said one patient remains in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head.

Authorities say the security situation in Abiemnom has since stabilised, though the humanitarian situation remains severe.

Majok said most of the wounded were referred to Abyei Civil Hospital for treatment, while the scale of destruction in the town continues to emerge.

“As we speak, the situation is normal, but we are seeing the excessive damage that has happened here,” he said. “Most of the markets where people used to buy basic commodities were burned down or looted.”

He added that many residents are now left without access to basic services after shops and markets were destroyed during the attack.

The minister also appealed to regional organisations and humanitarian agencies to urgently support affected communities.

“The government is calling upon regional organisations to come in and provide humanitarian assistance to the population most in need here in Abiemnom,” he said.

Many residents who fled the violence are still sheltering at a United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) base as security forces continue to patrol the area.

“The majority of them are still there because the area was not secure on the first day,” Majok said. “Forces have now been deployed and are patrolling the hotspots, but it may take days or even weeks for people to feel confident enough to return home.”

Meanwhile, the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) condemned the attack, describing it as a heinous act that undermines efforts to restore peace and stability in South Sudan.

In a statement, RJMEC said such violence further worsens the already dire humanitarian situation and erodes public confidence in the ongoing peace process.

The commission welcomed the directive by the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

RJMEC also called for an immediate cessation of hostilities across the country and urged political actors to begin inclusive dialogue to prevent further violence.

The commission extended condolences to the families of the victims and called on the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (CTSAMVM) to conduct a prompt, comprehensive, and impartial investigation into the attack.