Local authorities said that 16 of the victims were attacked on Saturday in Udhum Payam, Aweil West County, as they were returning to their homes from a market day. The incident occurred in a bushy and swampy area known locally as Liil, at a place called Wunliet.
Colonel Atak Wol Kiir, the police inspector in Udhum Payam, told this publication that the victims—mostly women and one man—were walking home in the evening when the animal suddenly emerged from nearby bushes and attacked them.
“The women were returning home late from the market when they reached a swampy area at Wunliet. The animal attacked them and bit women and children on the spot before running away. One man was also bitten,” Kiir said. He added that although some residents suspect the animal could have been a fox, it has not been clearly identified.
All the injured victims were rushed to health facilities for urgent treatment. Kiir confirmed that they received anti-rabies injections and were later discharged in stable condition.
The incident was also confirmed by the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Ministry of Health. The state’s health education focal point, Luka Lual Aleu Jok, said the victims from Udhum Payam were treated at Aweil Civil Hospital.
“It is true that 16 people were bitten by an unknown animal in Udhum Payam and rushed to Aweil Civil Hospital, where they were injected immediately,” Jok said. He added that another woman from the Nyin-Ameth area in Aweil North County was bitten in a similar incident, bringing the total number of injured people to 17.
In a related development, residents of Wadwil Payam in Aweil West County also reported a separate incident in which a suspected rabid dog allegedly bit several people on New Year’s Eve, further heightening fear among the local population.
Authorities have urged residents to avoid walking alone at night, especially through bushy or swampy areas, and to move in organised groups for safety. While some community members have speculated about other causes, including human attackers, officials stressed that the incidents point to the growing threat posed by wild or rabid animals.
Local authorities said investigations are ongoing to identify the animal responsible and to prevent further attacks, as communities remain on alert following the disturbing incidents.
