Nine young men mysteriously disappeared in South Sudan’s Bieh State after pursuing cattle rustled by gunmen in Pathai area since May, a local opposition official said.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the rebel-appointed commissioner of Pulchuol County, Thomas Lual Puot said nine youths who went in pursuit of armed men who raided 68 heads of cattle disappeared mysteriously.
He said they have not heard from the men for the last two months.
Lual further said a group of young men and chiefs from the county went searching for those who disappeared after reports that they vanished from Gadiang, an area controlled by government forces.
The opposition official, however, said the search is still ongoing to discover the whereabouts of those who went missing, but accused youth from neighboring Boma State of involvement in the cattle theft.
Lual identified the missing young men as Bol Gatluak Chan, Marieu Lul Nyak, Meat Gatluak Lul, Dak Lul Kuon, Maker Nyabieli Chan, Majok Duop Kuon, Gatluak Liah, Lul Teny Wieh and Teny Ker Lok.
On his part, Boma State information minister, John Kaka denied accusations that their youth were involved in cattle theft, stressing that they are working to promote forgiveness among all neighboring communities.