The violence, which erupted between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., involved the Yar and Tarweng sections of the Apukjuwiir community and the Thony community, according to a statement issued by the Office of the Tonj South County Commissioner.
County authorities said preliminary findings indicate the attack was carried out as retaliation for an earlier incident that occurred nearly a month ago in Mabior-Yar, marking the persistent cycle of revenge violence that continues to fuel insecurity in parts of Warrap State.
Contrary to the initial public reports that estimated the death toll at 20, the office of the commissioner said: “Official reports indicate that 19 people were killed, 14 sustained injuries from both sides, and 11 households were burned down to ashes in Thony community.”
The statement did not specify how many of the casualties came from each community, but said the dead and injured were recorded on both sides of the conflict.
Authorities said the fighting has since subsided after security forces were deployed to contain the violence.
“The fighting has since stopped, and police forces have been deployed to the scene to restore calm and prevent further escalation,” the statement added.
The latest bloodshed comes at a time when local leaders have been trying to rebuild trust between rival communities through a county-wide peace campaign aimed at ending recurring communal clashes.
According to the commissioner’s office, youth leaders and intellectuals from Tonj South recently launched a grassroots peace initiative that involved visits to different payams across the county.
The campaign resulted in the formation of a high-level peace committee comprising representatives from the county’s five communities to spearhead dialogue, encourage reconciliation and mobilize support for a ceasefire.
Officials said Monday’s attack was allegedly planned and executed despite those ongoing peace efforts.
“Despite these peace restoration efforts, the renewed attack was reportedly plotted and launched in disregard of the ongoing initiatives in the county,” the statement said.
Tonj South Commissioner Gordon Makuer Tiau condemned the violence, describing it as a setback to the county’s reconciliation efforts.
He extended condolences to families who lost relatives in the clashes and urged those involved in the violence to immediately abandon revenge attacks, warning that continued fighting would only deepen divisions and undermine the work of local peacebuilders.
The commissioner also appealed to both communities to exercise restraint and avoid retaliatory attacks, saying further violence would only increase the human toll and derail efforts to restore stability.
“He emphasized that these incidents are interrupting the ongoing peace mobilization being conducted by the newly formed high-level peace committee, which is touring all communities across Tonj South to preach peace, unity, and a call for ceasefire,” the statement said.
Makuer further called on affected families to remain calm and allow authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the latest attack.
