At least two people were killed in clashes between the communities of Hiyalla and Haforiere on Wednesday in Eastern Equatoria’s Torit County, officials said.
Two other people, including a six-year-old child, were injured in the clashes.
Galileo Ohide, the Paramount Chief of Hiyalla Payam told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the two days of clashes happened between Hiyalla and Haforiere villages.
“An incident happened yesterday (Wednesday), and there was tension since the day before yesterday. Some goats were stolen from Hiyalla which prompted the owners of the goats to get annoyed and they went and killed a young boy from Haforiere. The youths of Haforiere ran to arrest the culprit the fell in an ambush,” he said.
Chief Ohide adds, “They clashed from yesterday until evening, and the whole night, they patrolled up to this morning. Two people died all from Haforiere, two injured, one from Hiyalla called Olimoi and one from Haforiere, a very young boy,” he said.
Jacob Attari Albano, Torit County Commissioner, confirmed the clashes and blamed the two communities for failing to maintain peace in their areas.
“The government has tried its level best, last time we sent a team to calm the situation on the ground but after the government left, they went back to the same things,” he complained.