At least 12 people were killed and 11 others injured after armed cattle raiders attacked three camps belonging to the Dinka Bor herders in Nyolo Boma, Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria State on Friday morning.
The assault occurred at around 4:30am as the herders were relocating their cattle following an order from local authorities.
The Bor Community Secretary General, Mayom Ateny Wai, told Radio Tamazuj that the attackers were believed to be armed groups from the Acholi community, with possible involvement from other criminal groups.
“The cattle camps of the Dinka Bor herders were attacked this morning at 4:30am while moving their cattle after the Governor of Eastern Equatoria and the Commissioner of Magwi County ordered them to relocate,” Wai said.
“The cattle have been taken and are heading towards Magwi town. So far, the herders have lost about 12 people, with 11 others injured. The fighting is ongoing, so the number is not exact.”
The Jonglei State Governor’s Press Secretary, Biel Jiek Lual, condemned the attack and called for an investigation.
“We have received with deep concern the news of the recent incident at Aru Junction in Equatoria states. The people of Jonglei State, who had gone there in search of grazing areas, were unexpectedly attacked. This sudden and brutal assault on innocent pastoralists has deeply shocked the leadership of Jonglei State,” Lual stated in a press release.
He urged the authorities in Eastern Equatoria State to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Acholi community Chairperson, David Otim Okot, explained that the attack was driven by longstanding frustrations among some members of the Magwi County community, particularly over damages to farms in Nyolo Boma caused by roaming cattle.
“We have been having several meetings—almost three to four have taken place in Nyolo and we came out with a memorandum of understanding. Since last Monday, they were supposed to leave and they agreed,” Okote said.
“I am surprised that the cattle camps were still there,” he said,
Eastern Equatoria State Information Minister Elia John Ahaji confirmed that the state government had deployed security forces to the area.
“We have learned this with a profound shock. We have deployed our forces to conduct the investigations and establish who is behind this attack because we do not expect such things to happen. As soon as they reach the ground, they will be able to feed us with the information to establish the identity of the attackers,” Ahaji said.
Ahaji also mentioned that the security forces would provide protection to both the displaced local civilians and herders, especially those moving with children and women.