Crime barricade tape. | Courtesy.

A former national lawmaker said 12 people including women and children were killed in an attack on Pochalla North County of Pibor Administrative Area on Sunday.

Charles Welnyony also said 15 children have been abducted during the attack perpetrated by uniformed gunmen.

Welnyony, whose appointment to the parliament was revoked in October 2023, said gunmen attacked Ajowara Payam of Pochalla North on Sunday afternoon.

He further reported that 10 people have been wounded, a number of houses were burnt down, and over 30 heads of cattle were stolen.

“The attack happened yesterday at 4 PM in Ajowara Payam by well-armed people in uniform. They killed women and children including infant and abducted more than 15 children and burned the areas and left 12 people killed.”

“Ten people were injured and over 30 heads of cattle were taken. This is what happened yesterday (Sunday) in Ajowara Payam of Pochalla North.”

The deadly incident occurs less than two weeks after Jebel Boma Commissioner and 14 other people were killed in a road ambush perpetrated by unidentified gunmen in the administrative region.

The late commissioner, Jeremiah Korok was returning from one of the payams in a convoy including a government delegation – when he descended into an ambush staged by armed men.

GPAA has been gripped by unrests since the June 2023 assassination of Pochalla South County Commissioner Mr. Ojulu Ochalla by unidentified gunmen along with his bodyguards and a senior national security officer.

Further, fierce fighting erupted in September 2023 between soldiers of the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) and local youth in Pochalla County of Pibor Administrative Area leading to dozens of casualties.

Two months later, SSPDF Chief of Defense Force General Santino Deng Wol led a high-level security delegation to Pochalla to assess the security situation after the deadly violence.