A group of armed men abducted three boys aged between 8 and 9 in Uror County of Jonglei State on Tuesday, a local official said. 

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Tuesday, Mamur Gatluak, a lawmaker representing Uror County in the state legislative assembly said, “Those four boys were fishing in a river in the Motot area in the outskirts of Yuai town. But around 10 am they were captured by armed youth suspected to be from the Pibor area. Three boys, aged between 8 and 9, were taken by the assailants but the one aged 11 escaped unhurt.”

He pointed out that the local youth are searching the bushes to recover the abducted boys.

Lt. Col. John Mawut Ngang, the police spokesperson in the Jonglei State capital, Bor, said they are not aware of the incident because Uror County is cut off from the rest of the state. 

“We are not in contact with those in Uror County because of the poor communication network. And again the administration of the defunct states has yet to become one,” Col. Mawut said.

David Ngero, the external affairs secretary for the Boma State Youth Union, denied the involvement of Pibor youth in the abduction, saying they are engaged in peace initiatives. 

Last week, a chief was shot dead in a road ambush carried out by suspected armed youth in Duk County of Jonglei State.