Ruweng confirms 169 killed in Abiemnhom attack, including 79 service members

2026-03-02 - 12:48

ABIEMNHOM, Ruweng Administrative Area (Eye Radio) – The Minister of Information for the Ruweng Administrative Area has confirmed the death of 169 people following an attack by armed youth from Mayom County early Sunday morning. The attack began at approximately 4:29 a.m. and involved gunfire that lasted between three and four hours. Chief Administrator Stephano Wieu De Mialek confirmed that the deceased include Abiemnhom County Commissioner Paulino Wan and the county’s Executive Director. Minister of Information, Culture, Youth, and Sports, James Monyluak Mijok Thon, told Eye Radio today that the victims include women, children, and the elderly, alongside members of the army and police. “The confirmed number of those who died in the incident and have already been buried is 169,” Minister Thon stated. “Ninety [of these] include women, children, and the elderly. The remaining number are members of the regular forces from the army and police.” Minister Thon attributed the attack to militias from Mayom County, alleging links to elements of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO). “The attackers are militias who came from there and had been preparing for this attack for a long time,” Thon said. “Our sources inside informed us that there are a large number of people in Mayom preparing to attack us. We were on high alert.” Ruweng authorities had previously contacted officials in Unity State regarding the movement of armed groups. While Unity State authorities deployed forces from the 4th Division one day before the incident, the size of the attacking group moved past those positions. “We contacted the government officials in Unity State and received assurances that these young men would not come to the city,” Minister Thon explained. “The Unity State government sent forces from the 4th Division to us a day before the incident, but the number of attackers was large.” In the wake of the loss of life, Ruweng leadership is seeking a formal investigation into the security lapse and the origin of the group involved. “The governor of Mayom and the governor of Unity State should be questioned about this,” Thon urged. “We call for accountability.” As the community buries the 169 individuals, local leaders continue to advocate for increased safety measures and cooperation between administrative areas to prevent further conflict.