Clashes between the National Security Service (NSS) personnel and armed pastoralists from Unity State on Saturday left three people dead and five others injured among the belligerents in the Ruweng Administrative Area, a local official said.
James Arop Ayuel, the Ruweng Administrative Area information minister told Radio Tamazuj Monday that the fight broke out when armed herders from Unity State intruded into the Katnar area near the oil fields which are guarded by the National Security Service (NSS) in Ruweng.
“What we received here in Pariang are the wounded personnel from the army side, three wounded and one killed and these are soldiers and not local youth from Ruweng. The injured soldiers are now receiving treatment in Pariang,” he said. “The fighting is not between Ruweng and Unity State, it was between cattle keepers and army.”
On his part, Gatluak Wichar, the commissioner of Rubkona County, confirmed the fighting which he said occurred in Aliny County in Ruweng, and said two youths from his county were killed and two others injured.
“There were causalities. Two people were shot dead and two more were injured from the Rubkona side,” he said. “I spoke to the youth and traditional leaders to speak to the local youth. They listened to me and the security situation is now calm and the youth are now looking after their cattle.”
Commissioner Wichar accused the SSPDF of siding with and backing the youth from Ruweng Administrative Area against the youth from Rubkona County during the fighting.
However, SSPDF Fourth Division Spokesperson Abot Wai Abot denied the army’s involvement in the clashes and said they deployed to restore calm.
“The herders should move freely because of the devastating floods and the NSS should not prevent herders from grazing their animals because they were peaceful,” said Wai.
He said the clash was between the NSS and cattle keepers from Unity State but not between the SSPDF and herders as alleged.
Hundreds of herders graze their cattle near the oilfields after most parts of Unity State became flooded.