Authorities in Fashoda county of South Sudan's Upper Nile State say the death toll has risen to 23 following an attack on several villages by armed men early this month. 

Many people were displaced after their homes were torched by the gunmen. 

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Joseph Aban Odhong, Fashoda county commissioner, said most of the dead are elderly women and children, adding that three girls were also abducted. 

Aban said the area is now calm but the humanitarian conditions are dire. He warned that the region will experience food insecurity as the attack happened during the harvest period and food was destroyed in the attacks. 

More than 3,000 heads of cattle stolen during the attacks were recovered, he noted. 

Aban revealed that the state government is developing a plan for the return of more than 6,000 civilians who fled the attacks. 

He appealed to humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene and provide humanitarian aid to those affected while urging the gunmen to return the abducted girls.

The attacks have been attributed to infighting among several SPLA-IO splinter groups.

Adidyang village in Panyikang County was also attacked in September leaving several people dead and injured and displacing over 12,000 people from their villages to Malakal town.