Death Toll from Abyei Market Attack Rises to 153

The death toll from a recent drone attack on a market in Abyei has risen to 153, a South Sudanese government official announced, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.

Yohana Akol Ngor, acting information minister in the Abyei Special Administrative Area government, stated that the victims included people whose bodies had been buried and those still missing. The attack occurred on Monday at Amiet Market, also known as the 'Ostrich Market,' located about 10 kilometers north of Abyei town.

Ngor accused the Sudanese army of carrying out the attack, but they have not commented on the allegations. The victims were buried in two mass graves, with some bodies charred in the attack. Additionally, 30 injured people are receiving treatment at a hospital, some in critical condition.

The attack has been condemned by South Sudan's Foreign Ministry, which summoned the Sudanese Ambassador to Juba, Isam Karar, to protest the incident. The victims included South Sudanese nationals and members of Sudan's Misseriya tribe.

Abyei, an oil-rich area, was granted special status under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by Khartoum and Juba in 2003. The area serves as a bridge between northern and southern Sudan, with Arab Misseriya tribes living in the north and African Dinka communities inhabiting the south.

The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, displaced about 13 million people, and worsened famine and a humanitarian crisis.

The situation in Abyei remains volatile, with the area often experiencing clashes between different groups. The international community has called for calm and urged the parties to resolve their differences peacefully.