At least 73 people have been killed and 25 others wounded in a brutal attack on a gold mining site in South Sudan, Vice President James Wani Igga confirmed, describing the incident as a grim reminder of the persistent insecurity facing the world’s youngest nation.
The attack took place at Jebel Iraq, a gold mining area on the outskirts of the capital Juba. According to local officials and witnesses, unidentified armed gunmen stormed the site on Saturday evening, opening fire on miners who had gathered at the operation. The assailants then engaged in widespread looting before retreating into surrounding areas.
“All I know is that unknown gunmen attacked Jebel Iraq at a gold mine. There are more than 70 dead and many more injured,” said a local police officer who spoke to Reuters but asked not to be identified. The official death toll continued to climb as rescue teams pulled more bodies from the rubble.
South Sudan’s Vice President, who visited the scene on Sunday, condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms. “This senseless violence against civilians pursuing their livelihoods cannot be tolerated,” he said. He promised a full investigation and called on the country’s fragmented security forces to show greater coordination.
The attack has reignited urgent questions about the safety of informal mining operations across South Sudan, where tens of thousands of people — many displaced by years of civil war — have turned to artisanal gold mining as a means of survival. These sites are largely unregulated, poorly secured, and often located in areas beyond effective government control.
Gold mining has become a critical economic activity in South Sudan since oil production was disrupted by years of conflict. Informal mines have sprouted across the country, attracting workers from neighbouring Kenya, Uganda, and DR Congo. The industry has also attracted armed groups who prey on miners or demand “protection” fees.
Humanitarian organisations expressed alarm at the scale of the killings. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had dispatched medical teams to the area. Doctors Without Borders said its Juba clinic was overwhelmed with casualties.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) called for accountability and urged the government to extend state authority into gold-producing areas. “Civilians must be protected regardless of where they live or work,” the mission said.