Authorities in Aweil North County of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State said unknown gunmen attacked fishermen in the Kak Abar area which is situated on the south bank of the Kiir Adem River last Sunday night, shooting and wounding one person, Angong Ajiing, 20, and causing others to flee to the bush.

Eleven fishermen fled to nearby bushes for safety during the attack and were missing for hours but were later found safe. 

William Deng Mou, the executive-director of Aweil North County, said, “The attackers came at night and they shot one of the boys and then the other eleven ran to the bush. They took all the luggage and the fish which the group of fishermen had.’’ 

“Regarding the missing eleven persons from Kak Abar, they were found alive on Monday, they reported to the police station at Kiir Adem. Even the one who was shot is alive and has been taken by the parents and is undergoing treatment. The police are now trying to find out the correct evidence, but according to a source, these are the Arab nomads who normally come and buy fish,” Deng Mou added.

The Aweil North County police inspector, Santino Garang Nyuol, said the missing people have returned and the wounded person is receiving medical care at the hospital but said all their property was looted at gunpoint. 

“The missing eleven people have arrived in Kiir Adem and they are safe without injuries but their belongings were taken. They were missing for a whole day and came back. These people were attacked at night, around midnight. The reason was that they had a lot of fish and the Arabs came and asked them how much it cost,” Garang Nyuol said. 

“They told them the prices and you see these fifteen boys had a lot of fish which I cannot estimate. The Arabs came at night with horse-drawn carts and started shooting so the fishermen ran away. There was someone who was hiding in the bush and saw the Arabs taking all the fish. It happened in the area called Kak Abar,’’ the police inspector added.

Authorities in Aweil West County said they received their wounded son, Angong Ajiing, who left the county to go fishing at Kiir Adem River, Aweil North County.

The victim was taken to Marial Baai after medics ensured that his health condition was improving.

 “Yes, he was taken to Marial Baai. Of course, all the reports came from Aweil North and the information came to me this morning that he was brought last night. I don’t have many details on the matter,’’ said John Garang Aguot, the executive-director of Aweil West County.

William Wel Deng, a Member of Parliament in the Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Legislative Assembly, representing Aweil North County appealed to the state government and border peace committees to disarm citizens in the northern part of the Kiir Adem River to avoid such incidents from happening. 

“Yes, my concern is to the governor and the local peacemakers like the committees on both sides of the border. I am appealing to them, if they would accept, to disarm their civilians from the northern side because we don’t need any random casualties like that,’’ said Wel Deng.

“Such bandits should be identified and punished by the governments on both sides (Sudan and South Sudan). So, I am appealing to the government, particularly to the peace committees between Dinka Malual, Rezeigat, Massiriyia, and Habaniya so that they can take control of their criminals on their border side,” he added.