Abyei authorities have imposed a dust-to-down curfew in the disputed territory after gunmen attacked a market on Sunday, local officials said.
A group of youth suspected to have come from Warrap State’s Twic County and Unity State attacked the Nyinkuec market in Abyei, killing at least 11 civilians and wounding 14 others, including two foreign nationals.
Bol Koc, Abyei Area’s Minister of Information, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that Chief Administrator Chol Deng Alak had issued an order imposing a curfew after the deadly attack on the Nyinkuec market.
“The health conditions of those who were wounded in the Nyinkuec attack are fine. Some of the patients with minor injuries were discharged, including one woman from Uganda and those with serious injuries and wounds are responding to medication,” he said.
“The security situation is stable but the chief administrator Dr. Chol, announced the curfew from 6 p.m. and everyone in the market of Abyei closes business and only security forces should move throughout the night and curfew will continue until further nice,” he added.
Meanwhile, Abyei Area’s Health Minister Deng Arop said: “6 out of the 14 who were wounded have been discharged and they go back for follow-up and as I speak, we have eight patients with serious wounds in the hospital.”
Oil-rich Abyei has been contested since South Sudan gained independence in July 2011. Sudan and South Sudan are yet to agree on the mapping of the border.
The United Nations Interim Security Forces for Abyei (UNISFA) was deployed in June 2011 to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence and protect the area from incursions by armed groups.