Authorities say incident happened just 48 hours after five people were killed in Patuet Payam
By Riak Chol
At least seven people have been killed and more than 4,000 heads of cattle stolen in a series of violent attacks in Duk County, Jonglei State, according to the Duk Community Development Association (DCDA).
In a statement dated February 2, 2026, DCDA Chairperson Ruei Puot Booth described the attacks as a massacre and a deliberate attempt to destabilize the community. He said the latest violence occurred just 48 hours after five people were killed in Patuet Payam.
The association reported that more than 3,000 cattle were raided from Duk Padiet, in addition to about 1,000 head stolen earlier from Patuet, leaving many families without their primary source of livelihood.
“The community has suffered a devastating blow,” the statement said, noting that the loss of over 4,000 cattle within a single week has severely undermined food security and household survival.
The DCDA accused organized armed Murle groups, suspected to be operating from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), of carrying out the attacks. It stressed that the violence goes beyond ordinary criminal activity.
“These are not merely common crimes,” the statement read. “They are atrocities carried out by organized armed Murle criminals mobilized to sabotage ongoing SSPDF operations and destabilize our home.”
Despite the attacks, the association welcomed the recent visit by senior government and security officials to Duk County, saying it helped reassure the population. It specifically mentioned Jonglei State Governor Dr. Riek Gai Kok and the Chief of Defence Forces of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), Gen. Paul Nang Majok.
The DCDA also praised the Duk County Commissioner for his continued presence in the area, describing it as instrumental in providing leadership during the crisis.
In an urgent appeal, the association called on the national government and the SSPDF to intensify security operations and recover the stolen cattle.
“We petition for a reinforced security presence and a transition from a posture of observation to one of active pursuit,” the statement said.
The association further appealed to humanitarian organizations to provide immediate assistance, warning that affected families face the risk of starvation.
“The loss of over 4,000 cattle in one week has stripped our community of its only source of survival,” it said, calling for emergency relief to support displaced and vulnerable households.
Addressing the leadership of the GPAA, the DCDA demanded accountability for those responsible for the attacks.
“We call for an end to the rhetoric of peace and the beginning of the practice of justice,” the statement said. “The perpetrators must be held accountable within your jurisdiction.”
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, but we will not remain silent while our heritage is plundered and our people are killed,.” he stated.
Utilities
“These are not merely common crimes. They are atrocities carried out by organized armed criminals mobilized to sabotage ongoing SSPDF operations and destabilize our home,” noted a statement from Duk Community Development Association (DCDA).