File photo: Armed youth in Western Lakes State /Gurtong

60 killed in Western Lakes state inter-communal fight

At least 60 people have been killed and 39 others wounded in an inter-communal fight at Chueichok area in South Sudan’s Eastern Lakes state on Tuesday.

At least 60 people have been killed and 39 others wounded in an inter-communal fight at Chueichok area in South Sudan’s Western Lakes state on Wednesday.

The clashes, a state minister of information said, took place between armed youth from the Pakam and Rup clans on Wednesday evening, but he said the clashes resumed today, without providing more details.

Minister Chadrak Bol told Radio Tamazuj that the fight broke out when the Rup attacked the Pakam in order to loot cattle, prompting the latter to fight back in self-defense in order to recover their cows.

He pointed out that at least 41 people were killed from Pakam community while 19 others were killed from Rup community. He added that about 39 people sustained injuries from both sides.

He noted that the clashes resumed between the two sides on Friday, prompting the state government to deploy police offices to contain the situation.