The death toll of Monday’s fighting in Abyei between youth from Warrap State’s Twic County and Abyei has risen to 17 with 22 wounded.
On Monday after the clashes, 12 people were confirmed dead and 15 wounded from the Abyei side while Twic County today confirmed 5 of their youth were killed and 7 others were wounded in the violence.
The Twic County commissioner, Magok Kom, told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday that his county lost 5 youths and that the injured had been taken to hospital for treatment.
“Regarding the casualties, we have lost 5 youths and 7 were wounded in different locations and they have been transferred to Mayen-Abun and Kwajok hospital for treatment,” Kom said.
Commissioner Kom said the conflict is about the ownership of the Aneet area which he claims belongs to Twic County of Warrap State.
“As you know Aneet is a Twic Territory and if you know the demarcation done by the British, Aneet was just a settlement camp and the owners of the land are peacefully claiming their land,” Commissioner Kom said. “They invaded our land”
He said he cannot control the Twic youth but urged them not to cross River Kiir into Abyei town.
“I am not responsible for the youth. I am responsible for government officials,” he said. “We do not want them (youth) to cross River Kiir and that is my message, but they have to maintain their territory.”
When contacted, Abyei civil society activist Rou Manyiel Rou said the situation in Abyei remains tense as people are still searching for their loved ones.
“Today (Wednesday), the situation is still tense but there has not been another attack and people are still searching for their love ones in the aftermath of Monday’s attack,” he said. “The people from the surrounding areas of Agok and Aneet have fled to Abyei town for safety.”
Meanwhile, the Abyei administration’s security advisor, Kelek Kon, revealed that they on Wednesday received four Ethiopian traders who were abducted by the attackers during the raid in Aneet market on Monday morning.
“Yesterday I told you that the number of the dead was 12 people killed and 15 wounded and it has not increased,” he said. “The four abducted Ethiopian traders were handed to the military in Majakol and they will be released today (Wednesday).”