By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
November, 14 2025 - At least 57 people have been killed and dozens more injured after armed men carried out a dawn attack on a village in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State, local authorities confirmed on Friday.
The violence happened in Adong Payam in Baliet County, shortly after 5:30 a.m. Friday, when gunmen stormed the area and opened fire on sleeping residents. Baliet County Commissioner Joseph Deng told Radio Tamazuj the scene was chaotic as people ran in all directions, trying to escape the gunfire.
“It is a heartbreaking situation,” Deng said. “We are still searching for those who are missing.” According to officials, 65 people were wounded, and at least 29 of them are in critical condition. Local health workers and humanitarian groups are struggling to treat the injured, with reports indicating that some victims had to be transported to Malakal for emergency care due to limited facilities in Baliet.
Authorities believe the attackers came from neighbouring Ulang and Nasir counties, areas that have seen rising tensions and clashes this year. The assailants also stole more than 5,300 cattle, leaving the already traumatised community without livestock, its main source of livelihood.
Residents who survived the attack said they fled with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. Many are now hiding in nearby bushes or seeking refuge in other villages, fearing that the attackers may return.
Commissioner Deng said security forces had been on high alert in recent weeks due to recurring violence linked to armed youth groups, including the White Army, but the scale and timing of Friday’s attack caught them by surprise.
Upper Nile State continues to face waves of intercommunal attacks, largely driven by cattle raiding, revenge killings, and longstanding ethnic tensions. Weak law enforcement and high numbers of armed youth have made it difficult for authorities to prevent such incidents.
