Gun-violence leaves at least 63 dead across South Sudan in July alone

Author: Emmanuel Bida

211 Check July investigation has shown a huge decrease of citizens killed as a result of gun-violence across the country in July this year.

A monthly data gathered by 211 Check from reports published by prominent mainstream media houses, such as Radio Miraya, Radio Tamazuj, Eye Radio and Juba Echo, revealed sixty-three [63] deaths triggered by gun-violence.

However, the data shows a huge decrease of 56.85% and 76.68% of killings registered, compared to months of June and May respectively. In May and June, at least 310 and 146 South Sudanese respectively lost their lives in various incidents associated with gun-violence.

In the July data report, Warrap State recorded 15 deaths – the lead state with the highest killings, most of which were related to cattle raiding, while Central Equatoria, Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria, and Unity States followed each with 9, 8, 6, and 6 deaths registered respectively.

Greater Pibor Administrative Area, Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal and Western Equatoria States all enumerated two [2] violent related deaths each.

On the positive note, no deaths were reported in Abyei Administrative Area, Upper Nile and Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State.

According to observers, the decrease in killing is attributed to improvement of security measures in some areas which were previously experiencing waves of insecurity. However, continuous consistent efforts in strengthening security across the country can reduce the loss of lives due to gun violence.

NOTE: This data doesn’t fully bear the actual or complete number of killings across the country, it only bears data reported by the two prominent media houses [Radio Tamazuj, Eye Radio, Juba Echo and Radio Miraya]. There might be several other deaths recorded by various media houses or those not even reported.

Below is a bar chart bearing the statistics of deaths recorded.

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211 Check is a fact checking and information verification platform established to counter mis/disinformation, hate speech and incitement to violence. To know more about fact checking processes, click: https://211check.org/how-to-fact-check/.

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