By Deng Ghai Deng
August 6, 2025 JUBA
At least eight people were killed and eight others wounded after a group of unidentified armed men attacked a cattle market in Mogiri village, just outside the capital Juba, on Tuesday evening, according to local officials.
The attack, which occurred around 7:30 p.m. local time, targeted cattle traders—mostly from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area—who had temporarily camped at the market site to sell their livestock.
According to Jacob Werchum Juok, the Minister of Information and Communication for the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, all of the casualties were cattle traders, primarily from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
“Yesterday [Tuesday] evening at around 7:30 p.m., a huge attack hit the camps where cattle traders were staying. Eight traders were killed, eight were injured, and 3,035 heads of cattle were looted,” Werchum said. “The identity of the attackers is still unknown, but witnesses say they were heading towards Mangalla settlement.”
Local authorities suspect the attackers may be part of a larger raiding group that often targets cattle markets along trade routes near the capital. However, their numbers and exact origin remain unclear.
Jacob Aligo, the Central Equatoria State Minister of Information, acknowledged the incident but said he had yet to receive a full briefing. He noted that the market site in Mogiri had not been officially designated for livestock trading, raising concerns about the lack of security infrastructure in the area.
“This market was never formally established. It just developed as people started trading there. We’re now working on plans to fence off the area and improve security. But until resources are made available, the site remains vulnerable,” Aligo stated.
He added that authorities are considering public calls to either relocate the market into Juba town or shut it down completely, citing increased insecurity, cattle raids, and the use of the area as a hideout for criminals attacking nearby villages and vehicles on the Juba-Bor highway.
“If the location has become a source of conflict, maybe it’s time to rethink its suitability,” Aligo added. “Ultimately, we need to disarm civilians to prevent such violent raids.”
A civil society leader has condemned the attack, calling for urgent government action. Bol Deng Bol, Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan and Chair of the Jonglei Civil Society Network, said the state’s failure to protect its citizens was evident in this attack.
“The laws of South Sudan place the responsibility of protecting lives and property on the police and other law enforcement agencies. That mandate was clearly challenged in this unfortunate incident,” Bol said.
Cattle raids remain a common threat in parts of South Sudan, fueled by longstanding communal conflicts and the widespread presence of firearms among civilians.