Inter-tribal cattle raiding between communities in South Sudan’s Warrap and Unity states resulted in the deaths of 17 people on Friday and Saturday last week.

Two outbreaks of fighting took place in the regions of Gogrial East and Mayen-Jur and left an additional 11 people injured.

A journalist in the area, Santino Manut, told Radio Tamazuj from Warrap state that he was informed by the Gogrial East County Commissioner yesterday that residents of a cattle camp in his county were attacked on Friday.  On Saturday, the area of Mayen-Jur was also attacked by the same group, believed to be from Mayom county in Unity state.

Manut added that the Gogrial East county authorities have since tightened security restrictions along the border between the two counties.  They speculated that the culprits may now be sandwiched along the border.

“Yesterday I talked with the commissioner of Gogrial East county, Maj. Hon. Akot Yel Akot, who told us that there are some thieves who came from Mayom county of Unity state and attack a cattle camp in Gogrial East county. Also yesterday (Saturday) they came and attacked people in the Mayen-Jur border area with Mayom County of Unity state. The fighting lasted for five hours, a very aggressive attack in which 7 people were killed and 11 others were injured.  On the side of the cattle raiders, 10 of them were killed,” Manut explained.

Warrap and Unity states have a long history of inter-tribal cattle raiding and revenge attacks.

File photo: Cattle in Abyei, 24 February 2013 (Radio Tamazuj)