A herdsman lost his life in a cattle raid that took place in Muruou County within the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) on Wednesday, as reported by a local official.
Kenyche Mayiju Korok, the county commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj that 37 head of cattle were targeted during the afternoon attack but were successfully recovered by local youths.
According to Korok, the incident unfolded on Wednesday at 3 pm when assailants attacked and killed a man who was herding his cattle at Ngungoro locality, making off with all 37 cattle. He added, “Our youth were promptly informed of the incident, and they pursued the raiders, successfully recovering all the cattle that had been taken.”
Commissioner Kenyche has accused armed youth, suspected to have originated from the neighbouring Kapoeta East County in Eastern Equatoria State, of involvement in the attack. Efforts to reach Kapoeta East County Commissioner Angelo Lokeno for comment were not immediately successful.
Cross-boundary attacks between members of the GPAA’s Murle community and their Toposa neighbours in Eastern Equatoria have intensified in recent months, leading Toposa youths to block the supply route to Pibor.
Cattle raids are commonplace among communities in the GPAA and the states of Eastern Equatoria and Jonglei. Despite several initiatives to foster peace between these rival communities, they have often proven unsuccessful.