In brief
The death toll in Tonj North County has climbed to 84, with 12 new victims in Bundir village, a local minister said. The latest attack follows an earlier Monday clash that left 72 dead. Security forces have been deployed to restore calm, while alternative reports list the toll as 71 killed, highlighting discrepancies in the evolving count.
Death toll in Tonj North County, South Sudan, rose to 84 after fresh clashes, a local caretaker minister said on Xinhua Wednesday.
William Wol Mayom Bol, caretaker minister of information and communication services in Warrap State, said an additional 12 people were killed in an attack on Bundir village in Akop Payam. He described the assault as "unprovoked" and "coordinated," adding that 13 people were seriously injured.
"The attackers burned Bundir village and looted property,">
Bol noted that the new attack followed a Monday clash by armed youth from neighboring Mayom County in Unity State, which initially left 72 people dead. He called for calm and restraint, saying security forces were being deployed to areas of heightened tensions to restore order and track down those responsible.
Reported Discrepancies
News.az, reporting the same events 20 minutes earlier, also listed the death toll at 84 but said at least 71 people had been killed in intercommunal clashes in South Sudan. The differing figures reflect the rapid evolution of the situation.
With the country approaching its general elections in December, the widespread unrest threatens voting in volatile areas such as Lakes, Jonglei, Warrap, Unity and Upper Nile states.
