Deadly cattle raid in South Sudan leaves at least 49 dead and dozens injured

At dawn on Thursday, a group of armed cattle raiders from Unity State entered Tonj North county in Warrap State and carried out a brutal attack on a camp of cattle herders. The assault left a death toll of at least 49 people and left 33 others wounded. Warrap State information minister William Wol Mayom Bol issued a statement offering sympathy to the victims' families and urging restraint as the two state governments cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Unity State information minister Nyakenya Johannes told reporters that not all attackers were from Unity and that state officials are striving to ensure peaceful coexistence between the neighboring communities. South Sudan is slated to hold a presidential election in December, its first since independence in 2011. The raid underscores the persistent inter-tribal violence and the proliferation of firearms that fuel conflict over grazing land and water resources.