Amnesty says UN, South Sudan officials failed to prevent village massacre

Peacekeepers knew of likely raid on Abiemnom, where more than 200 people were killed, according to a report by the rights group. United Nations peacekeepers and authorities in South Sudan failed to act on warnings before armed men attacked a village and killed more than 200 people earlier this year, Amnesty International said in a new report. “Both the government and UNMISS had sufficient information and time to take more effective preventive action.

Their failure to take stronger action cost lives,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s director for East and Southern Africa. Amnesty reported that between 1,000 and 1,500 armed men from the neighbouring Mayom County shot residents, burned homes, and looted part of the hospital. Authorities put the death toll at more than 200, including 130 town residents, 76 security personnel, and seven foreign nationals.

Satellite images showed more than 230 structures were burned, and most victims were buried in two mass graves, according to the report.