KUAJOK – Authorities in Tonj South County of South Sudan’s Warrap State have convened an extraordinary security meeting with payam directors and town administrators as concerns mount over escalating insecurity, cattle raiding, and armed criminal activities across the county.
The meeting, chaired on Tuesday by Tonj South County Commissioner Gordon Makuer Tiau, brought together payam directors and town administrators to assess the deteriorating security situation and identify practical measures to restore law and order in communities affected by persistent violence.
According to a statement published on the commissioner’s official communication platform and seen by this publication, the meeting was called in response to growing reports of armed civilians terrorising residents, carrying out cattle raids, and attacking communities with little regard for the rule of law.
As the government’s closest representatives at the grassroots level, payam directors used the meeting to highlight the security challenges facing their respective areas and to propose strategies aimed at curbing criminal activities and strengthening local administration.
Commissioner Tiau underscored the need for stronger coordination between county authorities and local administrators, stressing that effective collaboration would be critical in addressing insecurity and restoring public confidence.
He also emphasised the importance of recovering cattle stolen during recent raids and ensuring they are returned through the appropriate administrative structures rather than being handled outside government channels.
The meeting further resolved to improve coordination among administrators while reinforcing their responsibilities in maintaining peace and security within their jurisdictions.
A major focus of the discussions was the planned deployment of security forces to volatile payams as part of ongoing efforts by the state government to stabilise areas frequently affected by cattle raiding and armed violence. Participants reviewed potential deployment strategies and examined how local administrators could support security personnel once the exercise begins.
Beyond security, the officials also deliberated on a number of administrative matters, including the possible reshuffling of local administrators, challenges affecting service delivery, and the management of county resources.
Speaking by telephone on Wednesday, one of the county administrators described the security situation as alarming, saying armed criminals have become increasingly emboldened.
“The rule of law has lost its meaning here. The more you’re armed, the more you can take whatever comes your way,” said Luka Dut, a Tonj South County administrator.
The payam directors urged Commissioner Tiau to remain steadfast in implementing measures aimed at restoring security, noting that cases of cattle theft, armed robbery, and raids have continued to disrupt livelihoods across the county.
They also appealed for the establishment of community policing units in every payam, arguing that locally based security structures would help deter cattle theft, improve intelligence gathering, and strengthen cooperation between residents and law enforcement agencies.
The meeting comes amid continued efforts by the Warrap State government to address widespread insecurity through a state of emergency and a disarmament campaign.
However, local officials acknowledged that the interventions have yet to produce the desired results, with reports of cattle raiding, banditry, and armed attacks continuing to emerge from various parts of Greater Warrap and neighbouring states.
The meeting comes on the heels of recent communal attacks within Greater Tonj. On 6th July 2026, 19 people were killed, 14 others injured, and 11 homes burned down after a revenge attack between the Yar and Tarweng sections of the Apukjuwiir community and the Thony community in Tonj South.
Less than a week later, heavily armed attackers stormed key government installations in neighbouring Tonj North County, raiding the commissioner’s guest house, the prison service headquarters and the police headquarters, in one of the deadliest attacks witnessed in the area this year.
William Wol Mayom Bol, Warrap State Minister of Information and Communication Services, said the attackers are believed to have originated from Madhiath-Ajak Payam and allegedly included criminal elements from the Akok section of Tonj East County.
The state government said the assault killed 25 people and wounded 20 others. Among those killed were four members of the organized forces, including Col. Ayuat Akol of the Prison Service, as well as one woman. An Executive Chief of Majak Payam was among those injured. During the raid, more than 200 heads of cattle were also stolen.
