July 9, 2026, 3:42 p.mJuly 9, 2026, 3:42 p.m
UN soldiers in South Sudan. (archive image)Image: keystone
Fifteen people were killed and twelve injured in attacks on government facilities in the southern Sudanese state of Warrap. The attacks took place on Thursday night and on the 15th anniversary of the country’s independence.
Given the widespread violence, it was initially unclear whether the attacks on police stations, administrative offices and other state institutions had a political or criminal background. Warrap is the home state of President Salva Kiir.
South Sudan separated from Sudan after decades of civil war and gained independence on July 9, 2011. But just two years later there was another civil war, which ended in 2018 with a peace agreement on power-sharing between Kiir and rival Riek Machar, who was appointed vice president.
The two politicians, who once fought together for the country’s independence, represent the two largest ethnic groups, the Dinka and the Nuer. Political tensions have escalated again since Machar was placed under house arrest by Kiir’s security forces last year.
South Sudan is scheduled to hold elections for the first time since independence in December. The elections had already been scheduled and postponed twice in the past.
South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world. Around 70 percent of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid, and almost two million have fled their villages due to armed conflicts or extreme weather events. The country has around 12.8 million inhabitants. (sda/dpa)