Local authorities in Abyei Administrative Area on Sunday said youth suspected to be from Warrap’s Twic County attacked Mading-Acueng village near Abyei town and killed 18 people including a six-year-old child, and wounded 11 other people over the weekend.
Ajang Deng Miyen, the Abyei information minister, told Radio Tamazuj Sunday that the Twic youth attacked the village at 2 am and were followed by the Abyei youth leading to clashes in the villages of Malou and Athony.
“What happened was that Youth from Twic County attacked Mading Acueng and Agany on the night of Friday at around 2 am and killed seven people including a six-year-old child,” he said. “Women and elderly people were also killed and wounded. Eight more people were wounded near Athony during clashes on Saturday evening.”
Bulabek Deng Kuol, Abyei’s paramount chief, confirmed the attack and said the assailants came at night when it was raining.
“The attackers came yesterday (Saturday) and attacked Mading Acueng and Agany Acueng when people were sleeping and it was raining and they killed seven people including a child and her sister of nine years,” he said. “A couple was killed in their hut and another three men were killed in a house, including a man from Aweil.”
Chief Deng accused the SSPDF of collaborating with youth from Twic County.
“These Twic youth were followed by Abyei youth in the morning on Saturday and they clashed at Abiyual village where three people were wounded from the Abyei side and the attackers shot randomly in Athony village but they did not kill anybody. The assailants were wearing SSPDF uniforms,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malek Ring, the Twic County executive director, confirmed the incident and called it a criminal act.
“I heard of this incident last night and I went to Nyin-Deng Ayuel this (Sunday) morning and what happened was that 15 armed youth criminals from Twic went to Abyei’s Mading-Acueng village and fighting took place there,” he explained. “The criminals regrouped in Athony on Saturday evening and another fight occurred where 11 were killed from Twic County and three people were wounded. The wounded are now in Mayen Abun health center.”