A "surprise" attack by dozens of unidentified armed youth in South Sudan's Ruweng Administrative Area on Sunday, March 3rd, has resulted in a death toll of 178, according to local official James Monyluak Mijok. The assailants, allegedly from neighboring Unity state and linked to the SPLA-IO (which denies involvement), launched the assault around 04:30 local time, setting fire to homes and markets during a three to four-hour conflict. Among the deceased are 90 children, women, and elderly individuals, alongside 79 regional forces. Many victims were buried in a mass grave, and 73 others remain hospitalized, with some transferred to Abyei Administrative Area. Medical aid groups like MSF described the mass casualty situation as extremely challenging, expanding capacity to manage the influx of patients. The UN has expressed alarm over the surge in violence, warning of the country's risk of returning to full-scale civil war.