At least 26 killed in Sudan-South Sudan border clashes at Abyei market
Fighting between Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities at the Amiet Common Market left dozens dead and 82 injured, prompting UN peacekeepers to appeal for calm.
By Eyob Hadgu · 17 September 2026
Abyei town, in the disputed border region administered jointly by Sudan and South Sudan. Photo: Sudan Envoy / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
At least 26 people were killed and 82 others injured in clashes in the disputed Abyei border region between Sudan and South Sudan, Al Jazeera reported on 17 September 2026, after violence erupted at the Amiet Common Market.
The fighting followed two separate killings days apart: a Ngok Dinka man was killed on the Monday, and a Misseriya man was killed the following Tuesday, according to the report, escalating tensions between the two communities. The Ngok Dinka are permanent residents of Abyei, while the Misseriya are Arab pastoralists from Sudan who migrate seasonally through the area.
Peacekeepers appeal for calm
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), which fields around 3,000 police and soldiers in the territory, said it was working to prevent further bloodshed. Its commander, Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shreshta, said: "Our priority is to prevent further loss of life. We urge all community leaders to embrace dialogue and advance peaceful coexistence."
A territory still in dispute
Abyei has seen frequent clashes since South Sudan's independence in 2011. The oil-producing territory is jointly administered but claimed by both countries. South Sudan itself has been at peace since a 2018 agreement ended five years of civil war, with elections scheduled for December 2026.
This report draws on reporting from Al Jazeera.
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