At least 17 people were killed and nine others injured in an armed attack on a humanitarian convoy in Duk County, located in South Sudan’s Jonglei State, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

According to local authorities, the incident occurred on Monday along the road between the villages of Pajut and Payuel, when vehicles belonging to the John Dau Foundation (JDF), a local humanitarian organization, came under fire during transit.

Duk County Commissioner John Chatim Ruei said the attack was carried out by armed Murle youth from the neighboring Greater Pibor Administrative Area. He condemned the incident as a “senseless act of violence” and confirmed that among the 17 killed were civilians and aid workers.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims affected by this senseless act of violence. With profound sorrow, we acknowledge the tragic loss of 17 innocent lives and the nine others wounded,” Ruei said in a statement issued in the capital, Juba.

The humanitarian organization at the center of the attack, John Dau Foundation, confirmed that five of its staff members were among those killed. Executive Director Dhieu Deng Leek said the convoy was ambushed at around 2:00 p.m. local time (1200 GMT) while transporting personnel returning from a training session organized by the World Food Programme.

Leek described the attack as a devastating blow to humanitarian operations in the region, warning that insecurity is increasingly restricting access to vulnerable communities in Jonglei State. Aid workers in South Sudan have repeatedly faced risks from intercommunal violence, armed youth groups, and banditry, particularly in remote rural corridors.

The World Food Programme World Food Programme has not yet issued a detailed public response on the incident, but humanitarian sources say operations in parts of Jonglei may face temporary disruptions as security assessments are conducted.

South Sudan continues to struggle with recurring cycles of communal violence, cattle raids, and armed group activity, which often spill over into attacks on civilians and humanitarian personnel. Security experts warn that such incidents threaten to undermine already fragile aid delivery systems in one of the world’s most aid-dependent countries.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the attack, while local officials have called for calm and urged armed youth groups to cease hostilities and allow humanitarian access to affected populations. (ILKHA)