Crime scene barricade tape. (Courtesy)

About 53 people including a Ghanaian peacekeeper are known to have been killed and 64 others wounded in a series of armed attacks in Abyei Administrative Area on Saturday, an official said.

Abyei Information Minister Bolis Koch said gunmen that he suspected to be from neighbouring Twic County of Warrap State, along with a militia group, launched attacks targeting Kathian, Machboung and Juoljok and a UNISFA base.

“The clashes started in Abyei, and from Abyei to an area called Kathian outside Abyei and in Machboung and Juoljok respectively,” he said.

Mr. Koch said the number of people killed in the conflict has risen to 53, with a further 64 others wounded as of Monday, January 29, 2024.

“The death toll of these four areas are 52 people killed and 64 wounded till now, in the beginning, there were 35 killed and others died at the hospitals.”

Koch further confirmed that one of the UNISFA peacekeepers from Ghana was killed in Kathian village.

According to him, the deadly violence was carried out by a militia group affiliated with a religious leader named Gair Machiek and a youth from Ajakuach in Warrap State.

When contacted, Warrap Information Minister said Twic County Commissioner told him that local armed youth were not behind one of the bloodiest violence in the border region.

However, William Wol Mayom called for a joint investigation to find out who was behind the motive of the attack.

“According to the report I got from the county commissioner, the armed youth from Twic County, Warrap State did not go to Abyei. they respect the recent presidential order issued by the president of the Republic of South Sudan,” Mayom said.

“We are obliged, so what happened needs an investigation to be carried out jointly, so that we find out who is behind the motive of the attack the led to the killing of many people.”

Over on Saturday, UNISFA condemned the violence and the killing of civilians by what it termed an “armed group.”

The UN Mission in the region said its unnamed personnel from Ghana was killed in Agok as the peacekeepers repelled aggression on its base which opened its doors to fleeing civilians.

UNISFA reaffirms its commitment to its mandate of protecting civilians and supporting all efforts to secure peace and security in its area of operations.

The mission further urges a swift and thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to these attacks and to ensure that all perpetrators are held accountable.

Deadly violence has continued to prevail in the Bahr el Ghazal region despite President Kiir’s order of an immediate ceasefire.

On December 31, 2023, Abyei’s Deputy Chief Administrator Honorable Noon Deng Nyok was killed along with five others including his bodyguards in a road ambush by gunmen in Agok.