Authorities in Lakes State confirmed that calm has returned to Cueibet County after at least 24 people were killed and 25 wounded in clashes between armed youth from the Gok and Pakam communities of Cueibet and Rumbek North counties.
The clashes occurred on Monday in Makerdhiem cattle camp at Relkou grazing area near Abiriu Payam of Cueibet County which came under attack from Pakam armed youth residing in Rumbek Centre County.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, the Malek Payam administrator, in Rumbek Centre, William Machar Chol said that 10 people were killed and 19 wounded from the Gok community.
From the Agar community, Machar said, 14 people were killed, six wounded and two others are missing. He added that 1,020 cattle were raided from the Gok community in the Makerdhiem cattle camp.
He noted that the situation had returned to normal on Tuesday after the deadly clashes.
However, Lakes State police spokesperson Elijah Mabor Makuac said on Wednesday that he had received reports that 14 people were killed but those are not the exact casualty figures.
“The report I have received is that more than 14 people have been killed on both sides and these are the people we have their names with us and many others wounded and we do not know the number of the wounded. Up to now, we are still investigating until we get the accurate number of people killed, wounded and cattle raided,” said Mabor.
He disclosed that it has been difficult getting information about the clashes from the ground.
“We gather information from our organized forces that are on the ground. But it is difficult to get the information and up to now there is no accurate and exact information about people killed on both sides,” said Makuac.
Mabor said that according to the reports he received, armed youth from the Agar community went to attack a cattle camp of the Gok community near Abiriu of Cueibet County.
Lakes State acting information minister and minister of cabinet affairs Stephen Mathiang Deng Monydit confirmed the clashes but said the casualty figures are not yet clear.
"It is not clear how many people have been killed and how many wounded from both sides over yesterday fighting, and how many cattle raided in Relkou," said Mathiang.
He acknowledged that the situation had returned to normal in the area.
Meanwhile, the coordinator for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) in Lakes State, Daniel Laat Kon said that their report shows that 24 people were killed from both sides in what he termed as 'an unfortunate armed youth attack' against the Gok community of Cueibet County.
“There is a displacement of women, children, and the elderly which need humanitarian assessment and intervention, but there is no security. We appeal to the state government to provide protection and security in Lakes State,” said Daniel Laat Kon.