At least three people, including a businesswoman, were injured on Friday when suspected Toposa cattle herders from Eastern Equatoria State’s Kapoeta South County stormed Ngauro Market in BUDI County and started shooting randomly at civilians.
According to local authorities, the ensuing chaos prompted the Ngauro youth to act in self-defense and exchanged gunfire with the assailants, leading to three injuries but no deaths.
Tensions over grazing and water points between the Toposa of Kapoeta South and Didinga of BUDI County has historically led to conflicts that have claimed many lives over the years.
Ngauro Paramount Chief Lotukalem Lokang William told Radio Tamazuj that the incident happened on Friday at around 11:20 a.m. and that the heavy exchange of gunfire lasted over 40 minutes, creating panic among locals.
“It was at around 11:20 a.m. when Toposa cattle herders moved their cows to Ngauro Town and they eventually just shot bullets into the market wounding two people, one lady and one youth. Since a lot of bullets were being shot into the market, it caused confusion and people ran. The soldiers repulsed them and they went back,” Chief Lokang explained. “These Toposa are from Kapoeta South County and they were moving their cows into the town for grazing. Every dry season, they always move their cows to BUDI County because there is good grass and a lot of water here but they come with these very heavy machine guns. This time people fought for almost 40 minutes.”
Meanwhile, Angelo Longoletiang Lokoro, Paramount Chief of Kapoeta South County, confirmed the incident, saying one person from the Toposa youth sustained injuries during the clashes.
“The incident happened and what brought about the tension is the issue of cattle because our people took their cattle to the farms of the Didinga who, upon seeing the cattle of Toposa in their farms, started shooting at the Toposa herders. So, they exchanged bullets before both groups left,” he explained. “There was no attack on people, it is just the issue of cattle and that the Didinga do not want their farms to be destroyed. One person from our side was injured and I do not know the casualties from the side of Didinga. There is no grass on our side here and all of it is that side of Didinga farms.”
For her part, Judith Susanm a medical officer at Ngauro Primary Health Care Center, said the two casualties sustained critical injuries with bullets still lodged in the back and arm respectively.
“Two individuals were brought to us at the hospital, the female was shot in the back and the male was shot in the arm, we did first aid and we are referring them to Chukudum Hospital for further treatment because we do not have an X-ray machine here,” she said.