BOR – At least seven people have been killed and more than 4,000 head of cattle stolen following a series of coordinated attacks in Duk County of South Sudan’s Jonglei State, local leaders said, describing the violence as one of the deadliest raids in recent months.
In a statement dated February 2, 2026, the Duk Community Development Association (DCDA) said the assaults targeted multiple villages and cattle camps, leaving families devastated and stripping communities of their primary means of survival.
DCDA Chairperson Ruei Puot Booth characterised the attacks as a “massacre” and a deliberate effort to destabilise the area. According to the association, the latest incident occurred just 48 hours after five people were killed in Patuet Payam, indicating a rapid escalation of insecurity.
The group reported that more than 3,000 cattle were raided from Duk Padiet alone, while an additional 1,000 head had earlier been stolen from Patuet. In total, over 4,000 cattle were lost within a week.
“The community has suffered a devastating blow,” the statement said, warning that the scale of the losses has severely undermined food security and household livelihoods.
The association accused organised armed Murle groups, believed to be operating from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, of carrying out the attacks. It stressed that the violence appeared coordinated and went beyond ordinary criminality.
“These are not merely common crimes,” the statement read. “They are atrocities carried out by organised armed Murle criminals mobilised to sabotage ongoing South Sudan People’s Defence Forces operations and destabilise our home.”
Despite the insecurity, the DCDA welcomed the recent visit by senior government and security officials, saying it helped calm tensions and reassure residents. The delegation included Jonglei State Governor Riek Gai Kok and the SSPDF Chief of Defence Forces, Paul Nang Majok.
The association also praised the Duk County Commissioner for remaining on the ground during the crisis, describing his presence as critical in providing leadership and coordinating local response efforts.
In an urgent appeal, the DCDA called on the national government and the SSPDF to intensify operations, recover the stolen cattle, and strengthen protection for vulnerable communities.
“We petition for a reinforced security presence and a transition from a posture of observation to one of active pursuit,” the statement said.
Humanitarian organisations were also urged to step in quickly, with the association warning that affected families now face the risk of hunger and displacement.
“The loss of over 4,000 cattle in one week has stripped our community of its only source of survival,” it added, calling for emergency food and relief support.
Addressing authorities in the Greater Pibor area, the DCDA demanded accountability for those responsible.
“We call for an end to the rhetoric of peace and the beginning of the practice of justice. The perpetrators must be held accountable within your jurisdiction,” the statement said.
Reaffirming solidarity with the victims, the association said the people of Duk would continue to demand protection and justice.
“The resilience of the Duk people is firm,” Booth said, “but we will not remain silent while our heritage is plundered and our people are killed.”
