Dozens Dead in South Sudan Clashes, Overwhelming Hospital

Clashes last week between armed groups from rival communities in central South Sudan left scores of people dead and overwhelmed a hospital with wounded individuals, according to officials.

The fighting occurred in the Rumbek area of Lakes state on Friday. The South Sudan Information Ministry reported approximately 70 fatalities, including four soldiers, though the exact toll is still being verified.

Rumbek State Hospital was inundated with patients. "We were overwhelmed with the gunshot patients," said Teran Madit, a clinical officer at the hospital, who told The Associated Press that the facility received more than 50 wounded individuals, many suffering from chest injuries.

The conflict involved armed youths from the Pakam community in Rumbek North County and the Nyang community in Rumbek Central County, both subgroups of the Dinka ethnic group. While disputes over cattle, grazing land, and revenge killings frequently fuel violence in Lakes state, the immediate cause of Friday's clashes remains unclear.

South Sudanese analyst Machot Amuom stated that unresolved tensions between the communities created an environment susceptible to renewed violence. "There were buried tensions and everybody knew that this could flare up, because the root causes of the violence between these communities were never addressed," he said.

Madit described scenes of chaos at the hospital during the fighting, noting that some patients left amid fears of further violence. Daniel Laat Kon, who leads a local civil society group, was among thousands of residents who fled their homes when gunfire erupted early Friday.

Kon reported that security forces attempted to maintain order but were outnumbered by the armed youths. He also stated that soldiers were killed while trying to repel the attackers. The armed groups withdrew later that afternoon.

The government announced that troops and police had regained control of Rumbek. Security forces apprehended four armed civilians and recovered four firearms, with the ministry urging communities to refrain from retaliatory attacks.

U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that Nepalese peacekeepers deployed a rapid response force to help deter fighting and protect the local hospital and humanitarian compounds.

The recent bloodshed occurs as South Sudan prepares for its first national elections since gaining independence in 2011. President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional government on September 22 and appointed a caretaker administration ahead of elections tentatively scheduled for December 22. This decree also dissolved the national legislature and state governments, with elections having faced repeated delays.

Amuom suggested that the dissolution of government structures contributed to the insecurity by leaving local government posts vacant. "The caretaker county commissioners have not yet been appointed, and the armed youths took advantage of it," he said.

The power-sharing administration was established as part of a 2018 peace agreement that concluded a five-year civil war, which resulted in an estimated 400,000 deaths.

Kon urged the government to disarm civilians, raising concerns about the feasibility of holding elections amidst such insecurity. "How can we be preparing for an election, registering voters, conducting civic education, when people live in fear?" he asked.