Intergroup Clashes in South Sudan Result in 71 Fatalities

Government security forces have retaken control of Rumbek town after an incursion by outsiders.

Published On 10 Oct 2026 10 Oct 2026

According to a statement from the caretaker government, 71 people were killed in intercommunal clashes in the town of Rumbek, Lakes State, South Sudan.

Initial security reports indicate that about 71 individuals were killed, including four soldiers, according to a statement from the interim Ministry of Information released on Friday. The exact number of fatalities remains unverified.

AFP reports that witnesses said a group of outsiders attempted to take control of Rumbek, briefly succeeding before police and military reinforcements forced them to withdraw. Two witnesses said the fighting later moved beyond the town’s limits.

The government said that security forces now control Rumbek and that efforts are ongoing to restore normalcy.

The caretaker government condemned the violence and urged all communities to exercise maximum restraint and avoid retaliatory actions that could further escalate tensions.

Interim government

On September 22, President Salva Kiir dissolved the transitional government three months ahead of the country’s first election since independence in 2011, appointing a caretaker administration in preparation for its inaugural national vote.

The decree ended a power‑sharing arrangement established under the 2018 peace agreement that concluded a five‑year civil war that claimed roughly 400,000 lives.

Intercommunal conflict has persisted across South Sudan, resulting in multiple deadly clashes.

On September 17, fighting along the border between South Sudan and Sudan resulted in 26 deaths and 82 injuries over several days.

In early March, intercommunal violence left at least 169 people dead after dozens of armed men attacked a town.

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