At least one person was killed and five children abducted by unknown gunmen in the Tel area of Jonglei State’s Nyirol County on Tuesday, local authorities said.
Biel Jiek Lual Chai, the Nyirol County Information Director, said armed criminals suspected to have come from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) waylaid a group traveling from Chuil Payam to Lankien on Tuesday.
“Tragically, one individual has been killed, another sustained injury and six children (five females and one boy) have been abducted by the perpetrators,” he said. “The wounded person is currently en route to the county headquarters for medical attention.”
Jiek condemned the incident describing it as a heinous act of violence perpetrated against innocent civilians by armed Murle criminals.
“Such attacks not only endanger the lives of individuals but also undermine the peace agreements and reconciliation efforts that have been established, including the recent Inter-Community Governmental Structure (ICGS) in Akobo County,” he added.
On his part, Abraham Kelang, the GPAA information minister, said they had no information about the attack and said the claim could be a pretext to attack GPAA.
Cattle rustling and child abduction are common in Jonglei and Greater Pibor, as are other clashes between rival communities.