The Commissioner of Ere county in South Sudan's Raja area said on Sunday that 35 soldiers including bodyguards of Governor Rizig Zacharia and elements of the SPLA were killed in the attack on Raja by unidentified gunmen last Wednesday, according to the initial count.

An armed group reportedly opposed to the creation of Lol State briefly overran Raja last week. The governor has fled the area to Nyamlel, a town near the border with the former Raja County but outside of its boundary.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Commissioner Al Amin Janga said five bodyguards of the governor, 14 soldiers guarding his house, and about 16 other soldies were killed and 12 or 13 injured.

Janga said that the situation has come back to normal in the area after the government soldiers controlled the situation following the attack, saying there is partial return of the residents to the town but there are no fuel and basic commodities.

He added that preparation is underway to arrange a convoy carrying fuel and basic commodities to Raja so that the state government can return to the area.

“We are in an urgent meeting now to prepare fuel and basic commodities because there are shortages of fuel and food in the state. Tomorrow or next tomorrow a convoy carrying these items will move from Nyamelel to Raja,” added Janga.

Similarly, Abdalla Tamiem Fartag, a leader of Feroghe tribe, confirmed that calm has return to the town. He said residents continue to return to the area following the attack but expressed indignation at the damage to shops and vital facilities in the town.

Fartag also revealed that there is a complete lack of medicines and medical staff, warning of health catastrophe if humanitarian organizations do not rush to provide aid to those affected by the fighting, especially medicines, tarpaulins and other aid.

On Sunday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) evacuated by air 17 people from the town of Raja.