A group of unidentified men attacked a town in South Sudan’s Ruweng administrative area, killing 122 people, including 82 civilians.

Information Minister James Monyliak Mijok said on Monday that the country has seen a rise in violence in recent months as political infighting threatens a fragile 2018 peace deal.

The latest attack took place in Abiemnhom in Ruweng, when youth from Mayom County in neighbouring Unity State stormed the town and fought for more than three hours.

“I would like to sadly inform you that among those killed included the County Commissioner and the Executive Director,” he said, adding that eighty-two of those killed were children, women, and the elderly.

“We managed to bury them this morning. Fifty people sustained major and minor injuries.”

The violence highlights concerns, including from the United Nations, of deepening instability since the arrest of former First Vice President Riek Machar a year ago.

President Salva Kiir signed a peace agreement with Machar in 2018 to end five years of civil war that left an estimated 400,000 dead.

However, implementation of the deal has been slow, and the opposing forces have clashed frequently over disagreements about how to share power.

(Reuters/NAN)