At least 20 people have been confirmed dead and 34 others sustained gunshot wounds during inter-communal fighting between the neighboring communities of Pakam of Lakes State and Luanyjang of Warrap State in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The clashes occurred in Alor Payam of Rumbek North County.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, the police spokesperson in Lakes State, Maj. Elijah Mabor Makuac confirmed the casualty figures and said the calm had returned to the area after the intervention of security forces. He said the wounded are being treated in Rumbek North County.

“We received very tragic information yesterday (Wednesday) that cattle keepers from Luanyjang of Warrap and Pakam of Rumbek North County clashed in Alor Payam in Rumbek North leading to several casualties. This (Thursday) morning, we received a list of 20 people killed and 34 others wounded but investigations are still ongoing and you will be informed,” he said. “There was an early warning or an indication that these clashes would happen and the government of Lakes State managed to intervene by sending security forces to the ground and currently they are in Maper, the Rumbek North County headquarters.”

According to Maj. Mabor, the young cattle keepers from Luanyjang who migrated to the area two weeks ago, were aggressive and began burning bushes and the temporary shelters of the people in Alor Payam.

“All this aggressive misbehavior was reported in the media and it continued until yesterday (Wednesday) when fighting erupted between them,” he stated. “If our security from Lakes State goes to the other side, then the other side will consider them an enemy, they will not respect you as a government intervening. Secondly, these are people armed and there is no way you can go and arrest somebody with a firearm against his will.”

He said elders tried to mitigate the situation but could not reach the place where the fighting took place because it is far, inaccessible, and in a remote area.

I send condolences to the families of the bereaved and I want to urge the youth there and everywhere to stop fighting each other. We are one people and gain nothing from killings ourselves,” Mabor counseled.  “It is better to resolve our problems amicably, peacefully. If there is a matter, they should sit down, negotiate, and resolve it instead of taking the law into their hands. This will not take us anywhere.”