At least three people were killed and seven others injured in a fresh attack by armed assailants in Bor Cunty of Jonglei State on Friday, a local official and an eyewitness said.
“Baidit Payam was attacked by armed Murle criminals from the Pibor area on Friday at 1 p.m. The fighting was very heavy, and three local youth were killed while seven others were injured, including four in critical condition,” Minister Nyadak told Radio Tamazuj Saturday.
“The injured have been evacuated to Juba for further medical attention,” she added.
The state minister pointed out that hundreds of head of cattle were also raided in the fighting between the armed assailants and local youth. She added that tensions were still high and called on the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) authorities to show “leadership by controlling their youth from carrying out attacks.”
William Majier, an eyewitness at the scene of the attack, said those killed were members of the same family and questioned why armed youth from the Greater Pibor area continued to attack people in Jonglei.
“Residents were surprised to find themselves under fire by Mure youth, resulting in the killing of an elderly man called Bior Alier Kok, his son Ajak, and another man called Marko Awan. The deceased are from the Leek section, while three others were injured. From the side of the attackers, four bodies were found dead. This is the second attack now in Baidit, and we want the world to know these atrocities,” he said.
For his part, Abraham Kelang, the GPAA information minister, said he had no information about the attack on Bor County but instead accused Bor youth of attacking Murle traders while taking cattle for sale in Juba.
“We do not have details about this Baidit attack. What we know of is that on Friday morning, our youth were attacked by armed Bor youth near Mogeri, resulting in the killing of a wildlife officer, but no cattle were raided because the attack was repulsed,” he said.
Communities of the greater Jonglei State have for long been wrangling, leading to cattle raids, child abductions, and killings.