Tonj South County, Warrap State

Demographics

2008 Census population: 86,592

2020 Population projection*: 109,316

2024 UN OCHA population estimate*: 292,317

2024 IPC population estimate: 123,194

2025 UN OCHA population estimate*: 126,289

Ethnic groups and languages: Rek Dinka (Apuk-Jurwiir, Muok, Thony, Yar-ayiei), Bongo

Displacement Figures as of September 2024: 5,938 IDPs (-11,665 Sept. 2023) and 49,831 returnees (+4,847 Sept. 2023)

IPC Food Security: November 2024 – Crisis (Phase 3); IPC Projections: December 2024 to March 2025 – Crisis (Phase 3); April 2025 to July 2025 – Crisis (Phase 3) (Tonj South)

Economy & Livelihoods

Tonj South County is located in Warrap State. It borders Tonj North County to the north-west and Tonj East County to the north-east. It also borders Lakes State (Cueibet and Wulu Counties) to the east and south (Wulu County), Western Equatoria State (Nagero and Ezo Counties) to the south-west, and Western Bahr el-Ghazal State (Jur River County) to the west.

The county covers two livelihood zones; the northern areas are part of the Western Flood Plains, whereas the southern areas are part of the Ironstone Plateau (FEWSNET, 2018). The River Tonj flows from south to north, bisecting Tonj South County and passing along Tonj town, before eventually becoming part of the Bahr al-Bhazāl River. In 2018, it was reported that 75% of households engaged in agriculture (FAO & WFP, 2018). Planting is conducted during the rainy season, though some cultivation also occurs during summer. The main crops are sorghum, simsim, maize, millet, and groundnuts. Ox-ploughs are available for hire to increase crop yields, as are tractors, however most of the tractors are currently not functioning. Culturally, cattle are highly valued and play an important role in society and are a sign of wealth. Large settlements and cattle camps can be found along the River Tonj in Tonj South.

In November 2024, the IPC projected Tonj South to be at crisis (IPC Level 3) levels, with these conditions projected to persist at the same level through July 2025. Significant intercommunal conflict has been both driven by and a driver of increasing food insecurity in Tonj South, given the need to secure good grazing land and limited water points. Food insecurity has been further compounded by unusual weather patterns, which has prevented timely planting and harvesting in the county. An estimated 40,000 people from Tonj South County were displaced from their homes due to the floods in October 2013. In 2014, 3,000 households were impacted by flooding, with many homes, crops and animals destroyed.

Infrastructure & Services

Tonj Town serves as the county headquarters of Tonj South County and is the largest town between Rumbek and Wau. However, chronic insecurity, poor infrastructure, and week governance has frequently discouraged traders from operating in the area. Movement between Tonj and Rumbek, for example, was difficult from mid to late 2015, during which communal violence decreased security. Additionally, the road from Rumbek to Wau was closed in April 2020 due to inter-communal violence.

Tonj South is home to ten (10) Early Childhood Development centres, one hundred and four (104) primary schools, and twelve (12) secondary schools.

In December 2024, the WHO reported that Tonj South County had fourteen (14) health facilities, of which thirteen (13) were functional. These functional facilities included eight (8) primary health care units (PHCUs), three (3) primary health care centres (PHCCs), and one (1) hospital. This means there were approximately 0.95 PHCUs per 15,000 people and 1.19 PHCCs per 50,000 people in the county at that time. Tonj Hospital was reported to be moderately functional.According to OCHA’s 2025 Humanitarian Needs Overview, there are an estimated 56,558 people in need in Tonj South County, which represents approximately 45% of the county’s total population reported by OCHA for 2025. For comparison, in 2024, OCHA reported that there were an estimated 147,307 people in need in Tonj South County, of whom 133,326 were non-displaced people, with the remainder comprising IDPs and returnees. According to OCHA’s (2019) Humanitarian Needs Overview for 2020, Tonj South had over 90,000 people with significant humanitarian needs residing in the county. This figure represented 98% of the estimated population for Tonj South County reported in the HNO in that year. A series of inter-communal clashes and insecurity in the county have prevented sustained development from taking place. Displacement has also impacted local infrastructure, as IDPs turn to institutions such as schools for shelter.

Conflict Dynamics

Tonj South County continues to experience recurrent local violence, and key conflict drivers include competition over limited water and land/border disputes; violent cattle raiding (especially during the dry season); the high prevalence of small arms; and revenge attacks.

In May 2015, fighting broke out in Majakkot between Thony and Muok, which began over a land dispute, with the Apuk-Jurwiir and Yar-ayiei communities joining the conflict alongside Muok communities against the Thony. Clashes over grasslands and land disputes also include Abarkou (between Thony and Yar-ayiei communities) and Atap-Nhom grasslands. Overall, intermittent violence spans Tonj South and Lake State’s counties of Cueibet and Rumbek North. While the many sections have fought for years over access to grazing land and water, some police and local officials blame the recent violence on politicians and rivalries concerning the local government. The former Tonj State governor confirmed that clashes had occurred between his Thony section and the Abuok section. In December 2015, the Governor claimed that the clashes over the grasslands were over and the fighting contained; however, reports of violence continued into March 2016. In May 2016, the Government launched a disarmament program throughout the State, with the SPLA using force when several Thony youths refused to peacefully hand over firearms, leading to the deaths of three people in clashes between SPLA and armed pastoralists (Gurtong 2016a).

Tonj South State was administered as part of Tonj State between 2015 and 2020 and was closely associated with efforts to defend the shift from 10 to 28 (and later 32) states. In May 2016, authorities gathered in Tonj to protest IGAD, UNMISS and JMEC’s refusal to recognize the new 28 state structure decreed in October 2015. Authorities stated that the people of Tonj State will not accept “to return to Kuajok again if the former Warrap State is re-united” (Gurtong 2016b). In 2020, Tonj South became a part of Warrap State again through a presidential decree.

In August 2019, USAID reported that an estimated 13,000 people had been displaced in the county as a result of inter-communal clashes. CEPO reported in December 2019 that cattle raids with Ceuibet County had led to 8 people being killed, and 260 cattle stolen (CEPO 2019). In early 2020, UNMISS documented communal clashes that occurred over grazing land. In addition to soldiers being deployed to the area, UNMISS patrols were also implemented to improve security. Regardless, clashes continue to be observed between the Thony community and Yar, Apuk and Muk communities through cattle raids. Additionally, between January and March of 2020, clashes between Dinka cattle keepers from Tonj South and Luo farmers from Jur River were documented, leading to the displacement of over 12,000 individuals (IOM DTM, 2020).

Administration & Logistics

Payams: Tonj town (County Headquarters), Thiet, Wanhalel, Jak, Manyangok

Roads:

A primary road from Wau to Rumbek passes through Tonj. The road was open during the dry season in 2019, but had a “road warning” in the rainy season, according to the Logistics Cluster.

UNHAS-recognised Heli and Fixed-Wing Airplane Airstrips: None

References

CEPO. (2019). Cattle Raid at Tonj South Warrap. 11 December 2019. Retrieved from http://cepo-southsudan.org/incident-report/cattle-raid-tonj-tonj-south-warrap

FAO & WFP. (2018). Special Report: FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission to South Sudan. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/3/ca3643EN/ca3643en.pdf

FEWSNET. (2018). Livelihoods Zone Map and Descriptions for the Republic of South Sudan (Updated).

Gurtong. (2016a). ‘Disarmament Program Launched in Tonj State’. 10 May 2016. Retrieved from http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/ArticleView/mid/519/articleId/19209/Disarmament-Program-Launched-In-Tonj-State.aspx

Gurtong. (2016b). ‘Tonj State Authorities Not Pleased with UN Sentiments Over The 28 States’. 10 May 2016. http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/ArticleView/mid/519/articleId/19203/categoryId/139/Tonj-State-Authorities-Not-Pleased-With-UN-Sentiments-Over-The-28-States.aspx

IOM DTM. (2020). South Sudan: Tonj South County, Warrap State Event Tracking Report, 6 May 2020. Retrieved from https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudan-tonj-south-county-warrap-state-event-tracking-report-6-may-2020

OCHA. (2019). Humanitarian Needs Overview: South Sudan 2020.

Reports on Tonj South

DTM. (2022). South Sudan — Tonj South Village Assessment Survey (4 April – 17 May 2022). Retrieved 22 March 2025.

REACH. (2021). Tonj South & East Rapid Assessment: Warrap State, South Sudan, September 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2025.