Local authorities in Yirol East County have confirmed that 5 people have been killed and 2 others wounded during a cattle raid and revenge attack between Panyijar and Yirol East counties of Lakes and Unity states.
The incident occurred in Adior Payam of Yirol East County on Sunday.
The executive director of Yirol East County in Lakes State, Dhuor Apiu, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the incident which happened on Sunday in Adior Payam claimed the lives of two pastoralists from Yirol East County and three rustlers.
He said the two people who were wounded are being treated at Yirol East County Hospital in Nyang.
“There was insecurity caused by cattle raiding and revenge killings. The armed cattle raiders from Panyijar County of Unity State came and raided cattle in Adior Payam. When the cattle owners pursued them, they fell in an ambush and 2 cattle owners were shot dead on the spot,” he said. “This angered the youth from Yirol East County to revenge and they killed 3 people from Panyijar County on Sunday in Wun-ker and in Nyang respectively.”
He said the general security situation is now calm and security forces have been deployed to monitor and control the situation in Yirol East County.
“The commissioner of Panyijar County, Majok Bol, is working hard but the youth from Panyijar have decided to be uncontrollable,” he said. “They cannot cease cattle raiding because it has become a source of their livelihood.”
Wuol Ater, a resident of Yirol East County said that tension is very high on both sides following the revenge killings.
“It is a very horrible situation and people are in panic. I saw one person was just shot dead near my home in a revenge attack. Another was killed near a cattle camp,” he said. “The cattle owners from Yirol East who lost 2 people who were killed by raiders from Panyijar became desperate for revenge and this was what happened. I do not know what will happen today.”
According to Ater cattle rustling has become a big problem and if not addressed, it will lead to violence between Panyijar and Yirol East counties.
Attempts to reach the commissioner of Panyijar County for comment were unsuccessful.