A boy was abducted and a mann critically injured during a road ambush in Duk County in Jonglei State on Saturday morning, authorities said.
John Chatim Jok, Duk County Commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj Sunday that the abductee, Garang Galuak, was accompanying two adults to Duk Padiet town from the county headquarters, Mareng.
“The incident occurred at 9 am in the bushes between Mareng and Duk Padiet. A woman, man, and a boy aged nine were moving to Duk Padiet town when they were attacked, taking away the boy and leaving the old man unconscious to stab wounds while the woman escaped to Duk Padiet unhurt,” Chatim said.
The county commissioner claimed the attackers are youth from Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
“According to information from the injured, currently being treated at Duk Padiet PHCC, the attackers are from Murle in GPAA,” he charged.
Brigadier Deng Turuk Akoi, the chief police inspector for Duk, said no arrest was made because the incident occurred in the bushes.
“No arrests are usually made in such incidents because there are a lot of criminals from the neighboring area in our bushes,” he said.
For his part, Peter Simon Ajany, the GPAA local government and law enforcement agencies minister, said he was not informed of the incident by the Jonglei State counterparts.
Cattle raids and child abduction are commonplace among communities in Greater Jonglei, with perpetrators often going unpunished.