The Minister of Information in the Abyei Area reported on Saturday that suspected youth from Twic County in Warrap State carried out a cattle raid, taking 435 cattle from Kal-Wanyang village last Thursday. Fortunately, the four herders responsible for the cattle were released unharmed by the raiders.
Bulis Koch, the official spokesperson for Abyei, told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday that the raiders were identified in the Kilo 27 area in Twic County. The intelligence report confirmed that the raiders had divided the cattle at that location.
“Cattle were raided on Thursday this week, but due to a lack of communication networks on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in the Abyei area, the four boys looking after the cattle herded them in the northern part of Abyei, specifically Kal-Wanyang village at the border of Abyei and Ajak Kuac Payam of Twic County. Cattle herders typically return with the cattle around 4 or 5 o’clock, but they failed to return on Thursday. When the youth attempted to search for them, it was already dark,” explained Bulis Koch.
He added, “On Friday [22 December], the search resumed, and it was discovered that the raiders were seen at the Kilo 27 location in the Twic County area of Warrap State, according to intelligence reports. These raiders were identified as armed youth from Twic, backed by the forces of Gai Machiek, a Nuer general residing with the Twic people at Ajak Kuac Payam in Warrap State.”
“The positive aspect is that the raiders did not kill the shepherds, but they took their phones and some money before releasing them. These cattle belong to six individuals in Abyei,” he further stated.
Simon Aguek, the Commissioner of Twic County in Warrap State, denied any involvement of his youth in raiding Abyei’s cattle. He expressed concerns about the tense security situation between Twic County in Warrap State and Abiemnhom County in the Ruweng Administrative Area.
“I am currently in Warrap headquarters Kuajok for the reception of our new governor. I contacted all local authorities in Twic County this Saturday morning, and they confirmed to me that there is no insecurity at the borders. There is no evidence of armed youth from Twic County raiding cattle in Abyei. However, there is anxiety in the Ajak Kuac Payam area of Twic County due to the disappearance of a youth kidnapped by armed youth from Ruweng’s Abiemnhom County,” he stated.
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