The attack took place on the evening of March 28 in Kare Nare, also known as Khor Khaltan, where artisanal miners were working in the Sultan area when gunmen opened fire.
Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Kwacijwok Dominic said the death toll had now exceeded 74, though he cautioned that the figure could still rise as more information emerges from the scene.
“The incident resulted in the killing of more than 74 people… and some people went missing in the forest,” Kwacijwok said.
He added that several people remain unaccounted for after fleeing into nearby bushes during the attack, raising fears that the number of fatalities could increase once search efforts are completed.
Despite the high overall toll, police said officers who initially visited the scene were only able to recover 11 bodies, which were taken to a mortuary.
The gap between the recovered bodies and the reported number of deaths underscores the difficulty of accessing the area and accounting for victims in the aftermath of the violence.
Contrary to the claim made by the Central Equatoria State that the attack was carried out by “rebel forces”, the law enforcement authorities say the attackers have not yet been identified, and investigations are ongoing.
“There is an unknown armed force… they attacked gold miners in Jebel Iraq,” Kwacijwok said.
Security forces, including the National Police Service and the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), have since been deployed to the area. Police say the situation is now “relatively calm” following the incident.
Investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have begun interviewing survivors, including at least one injured victim, as part of efforts to establish who carried out the attack.
“They are still investigating with them to identify who those people are behind this incident,” he said.
Police have also urged caution over unverified claims circulating in the media about those responsible for the killings.
“Some information in the media is not complete, because investigations are still ongoing,” Kwacijwok said.
The motive for the attack remains unclear, with authorities warning that both the number of dead and the circumstances surrounding the incident may change as investigations progress.
