Fighters allied to South Sudan’s government have been accused of killing more than a dozen civilians, mostly women and children, in conflict-hit Jonglei State's Ayod County. Witnesses said the civilians were lured from their homes under the pretense of being registered for humanitarian aid and then shot at close range on Saturday morning. James Chuol Jiek, the government-appointed county commissioner of Ayod, confirmed the attack. Armed clashes, aerial bombardments, and consecutive years of extreme flooding has left more than half Ayod County’s population facing severe food insecurity. Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang could not be reached for comment.
