At least nine people were killed and seven others wounded in an attack by armed men in Jalle area in South Sudan’s Jonglei state on Wednesday morning, a local official said.
Bor North County Commissioner Deng Adoor told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the incident occurred when an armed group launched an attack on Akot cattle camp in the area of Jalle.
“The raiders attacked the cattle camp around 1 am. They killed 9 people including 3 ladies and a 3-year-old child, while 7 people were critically injured,” Deng said.
The cattle camp was destroyed by the raiders, according to the local official. He claimed that the armed attackers raided thousands of cattle.
The commissioner accused armed groups from neighboring Boma state of carrying out the attack on Akot cattle camp.“Five of those wounded have been taken to Bor Hospital for treatment but they are in critical conditions,” Deng he said.
However, the local official pointed out that the security situation is relatively stable. He noted that the incident caused fear and panic among the local residents.
Deng appealed to the relevant authorities in Boma state and the national government in Juba to intervene by holding the culprits accountable.
He also called on the United Nations to provide security and protection in his county.
For her part, Boma’s information minister Margaret Golla Oleyo denied knowledge of any attacks by armed men from her state.
On Tuesday, five people were killed and several others wounded in a cattle raid in Poktap town in Duk Payuel County of Jonglei State. Local authorities accused armed from Boma state of involvement in the incident.
The people of Jonglei and their neighbours in Boma state have for long been wrangling leading to cattle raids and child abductions. The two sides signed a peace agreement last year but the deal could not hold.