The local authorities in Jonglei State’s Duk County said three youths were killed and six others injured in an ambush by armed assailants in Duk Padiet Payam on Christmas Day and that the wounded have been airlifted to Juba where they are currently getting treatment.
Speaking to Radio Taazuj, John Chatim, the Duk county commissioner, said the youths were ambushed while patrolling near their farms on the outskirts of Duk Padiet Town.
“What happened in Pachoknyieth was that some women left early in the morning to harvest grain from their farms only to find some foot marks outside farms, so, they retreated to inform our youth,” he explained. “While our youth went to patrol, they were ambushed and three were killed and six others injured.”
The commissioner accused armed youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) of involvement in the attack.
“The report that our people were fighting among themselves is untrue. What happened was an ambush by armed Murle youth from GPAA which resulted in the death of three youths and injury of six others. Those injured were airlifted to Juba where they are now being treated.”
For his part, Jacob Werchum Jouk, the GPAA information minister, said they are unaware of the attack.
“We are not aware of this incident,” he stated. “What evidence do they have to accuse our youth? Our youth are still within our territories.”