Four officials detained over Twic-Abyei fighting

A state minister and three county commissioners have been detained after the renewal of fighting between communities of Twic County of Warrap and the Abyei administrative area, a spokesman for Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi said.

A state minister and three county commissioners have been detained after the renewal of fighting between communities of Twic County of Warrap and the Abyei administrative area, a spokesman for Vice President Hussein Abdelbagi said.

In February this year, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir formed a committee to investigate violence involving armed youth from Ngok Dinka of Abyei and Twic communities.

The investigation committee is headed by the country’s Vice-President for Service Cluster Hussein Abdelbagi Akol.

Gabriel Kiir, the spokesperson of the Vice President for Service Cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi, told Radio Tamazuj today that the Twic–Ngok Dinka intercommunal clashes investigation committee has “temporarily confined” the four officials in Juba for mobilizing the youth that led to the resumption of the conflict between the two communities.

The confined government officials include Mayot Kunit Miyen, Abyei Minister of Infrastructure, Chol Pur Chol, the Commissioner of Rumamer county and Akuei Akoon, the commissioner of Alal County.

The other official is Deng Tong Goch, the Commissioner of Twic County of Warrap State.

Gabriel pointed out that the confinement of the four officials will continue until further measures are taken to control the security situation.

“The committee was set to meet with the president today, but the president has travelled to the United Arab Emirates, so when he returns the committee will submit the preliminary report,” he said.

 “The committee is not having bad intention but wants to stop the bloodshed that is happening. In fact, those officials are confined, and not arrested. They are confined to limit their engagement with the people on the ground,” he concluded.