24/02/2026
🟥MASSACRE IN PANKOR VILLAGE: 25 Nuer Civilians Killed in Ayod County.
Monday ,February 23| Massacre Report | Lou Nuer 24 Media.
Lou Nuer 24 (LN24) Media reports with profound grief and outrage the deliberate massacre of 25 innocent civilians in Pankor Village, Pajiek Payam, Ayod County, in what forms part of the broader and ongoing atrocities targeting Nuer civilians across the Northern Jonglei region.
The horrific incident occurred at approximately 9:00 a.m. on 21st February,2026.
🔸️How the Massacre Unfolded
According to credible local sources, soldiers belonging to the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) entered Pankor Village while local authorities were anticipating a visit from the World Food Programme (WFP), which had reportedly come to assess the worsening humanitarian situation in the area.
In preparation for the humanitarian assessment, civilians had been encouraged to gather in Ayod Town to demonstrate the scale of suffering and vulnerability facing the population.
Eyewitness accounts state that SSPDF soldiers used a microphone to summon civilians from Pankor Village, informing them that they should assemble to receive food rations. Trusting the announcement and hoping for life-saving assistance, dozens of unarmed civilians — mainly women — gathered inside a hut as directed.
Once the civilians had assembled, the soldiers allegedly opened fire at close range on the defenseless crowd.
🔸️Casualties
The attack claimed the lives of:
▪️22 women
▪️1 child
▪️2 men
Bringing the total death toll to 25 innocent civilians.
These were mothers, daughters, sisters, and fathers — ordinary civilians whose only intention was to access humanitarian assistance in a time of extreme hardship.
🔸️Pattern of Targeted Violence
LN24 Media views this massacre not as an isolated incident, but as part of a broader pattern of systematic violence and collective punishment against Nuer civilians in the Greater Lou Nuer area. The deliberate luring of civilians under the pretext of food distribution, followed by indiscriminate killing, constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and may amount to crimes against humanity.
The targeting of women and a child in this attack further underscores the vulnerability of civilians and the alarming disregard for human life.
🔹️Call for International Investigation
We urgently call upon international human rights organizations, the United Nations, and independent investigative bodies to conduct an immediate, transparent, and impartial investigation into this atrocity.
Those responsible — including commanders who authorized or failed to prevent this crime — must be identified and held accountable. Justice for the victims is essential to prevent further massacres and to restore confidence and security in Ayod County and across the Greater Lou Nuer region.
The international community must not remain silent while civilians are allegedly lured with promises of food and met with bullets instead.
May the souls of the 25 innocent victims rest in eternal peace. May their families find strength and justice in this painful hour.
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