Unknown gunmen kill more than 70 in South Sudan after dispute at gold mine

Gunmen killed much than 70 radical successful South Sudan implicit a golden mining enactment connected the outskirts of the superior implicit the weekend, a constabulary spokesperson confirmed connected Monday (March 30, 2026).

A video of dozens of bodies lying connected unfastened crushed was shared online, and a section writer said galore different victims are believed to person fled to the bushes.

The golden mining tract astatine Jebel Iraq successful Central Equatoria State has, successful the past, been the tract of convulsive clashes betwixt amerciable miners and mining companies.

Police spokesperson Kwacijwok Dominic Amondoc said helium would stock much accusation astir the onslaught erstwhile helium gets much details.

“All I cognize is that chartless gunmen attacked Jebel Iraq astatine a golden mine. There are much than 70 dormant and galore much injured,” helium said.

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army – In Opposition, oregon SPLM/A-IO, condemned the onslaught connected Monday and blamed authorities forces, known arsenic the SSPDF.

“Jebel Iraq lies wrong a portion that is wholly nether the exclusive power of the SSPDF. Consequently, afloat work for the massacre rests with the SSPDF forces that power the area,” a connection from the absorption said.

The service spokesperson told the AP helium couldn't remark connected the incident.

A section civilian rights group, the Nile Institute for the Study of Human Rights and Transitional Justice, condemned the onslaught and called for “effective governance and oversight successful resource-rich areas.” “This horrific enactment represents a sedate usurpation of the cardinal close to beingness and highlights the continued vulnerability of civilians successful areas affected by a anemic information beingness and unregulated assets exploitation,” the radical wrote successful a statement.

Human rights activistic Edmund Yakani urged the authorities to code the emerging inclination of communities competing for earthy resources.

“My entreaty is to the authorities to intervene and halt this civilization of amerciable golden mining crossed the country,” helium said.