At least 169 people were killed and buried in a mass grave in Abiemnom County, northern South Sudan, near the Sudan border, following an attack early on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Local officials Elizabeth Achol and James Monyluak confirmed the grim toll, which includes women, children, and the elderly, with the possibility of more bodies being discovered. This incident occurs amidst a backdrop of escalating violence in South Sudan, a nation plagued by civil war, poverty, and corruption since its 2011 formation. The UN has warned of a potential return to "all-out civil war" as a power-sharing agreement falters, exacerbating chronic ethnic violence and cattle-raiding. Humanitarian workers have also been impacted, with Doctors Without Borders reporting 26 staff missing after an airstrike on a facility in Jonglei state.