At least 16 people were on Wednesday killed in Losolia County in South Sudan’s Kapoeta State after a cattle raid by a group from Kenya’s Turkana County, officials said.

“A group of attackers from Turkana County in neighboring Kenya came and attacked a cattle camp in Losolia County on 5 September. They killed seven people including 3 women,” Losolia County commissioner Koetein Thomas told Radio Tamazuj on Friday.

The local official further said an unknown number of cows were raided in the attack, adding that local youth had been dispatched to pursue the raiders.

Thomas pointed out that they were in touch with the relevant authorities in Turkana County to quell tension along the common border.

For his part, Emmanuel Erickai, a director at LOPEO organization in Turkana County confirmed at least nine people from Turkana were killed and four others injured in the incident.

He explained that a group from Turkana County had launched a retaliatory attack to recover their stolen animals.” We want to understanding the cause of the conflict other than the retaliatory attack they are talking about,” Emmanuel said.

The Toposa community of South Sudan and Turkanas of Kenya have been involved in a protracted conflict caused by cattle raids and dispute over water source.