Incident Summary:
11/27/2017: Assailants raided Pajut, Jonglei, South Sudan. This was one of two related attacks targeting villages in the area overnight. At least 68 people, including six aid workers, were killed and 19 people were injured across both assaults. Additionally, at least 58 people were abducted before being released on December 3, 2017. No group claimed responsibility for the incidents; however, sources attributed the attacks to the Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) and the Murle Tribe.
Overview
GTD ID:
201711270030
When:
2017-11-27
Country:
South Sudan
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Jonglei
City:
Pajut
Location Details:
The incident occurred in the Duk Panyang district.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: NGO |
Name of Entity |
Unknown |
Specific Description |
Aid Workers |
Nationality of Target |
South Sudan |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
Duk Panyang Village |
Specific Description |
Village |
Nationality of Target |
South Sudan |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
29 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Days of Kidnapping |
6 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) released by perpetrators |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | Yes |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Casualty numbers conflict across sources. Following GTD protocol, the most recent reliable estimates are reported here. Casualty and hostage numbers represent a division of the total number of those killed, wounded, and abducted across incidents 201711270030 and 201711280028. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
34 Fatalities / 10 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
34 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
10 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
"Forty dead in South Sudan cattle raids," Deutsche Presse-Agentur, November 28, 2017. |
"Abducted people rescued, cows recovered in Jonglei state," Sudan Tribune, December 4, 2017. |
"50 dead in South Sudan tribal raids," The Nation Pakistan, November 30, 2017. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties