The Abyei Administrative Area authorities reported on Saturday that armed youth from Twic, supported by some South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) soldiers, conducted a theft on Thursday and Friday at Juol-Jook Health Center. The looters made away with 185 hospital beds, 185 patients’ mattresses, Abyei FM radio equipment, solar panels, and various materials from a GOAL-run clinic, as confirmed by officials.
Ayuel Kiir, the Commissioner of Abyei’s Rumamer County, told Radio Tamazuj that the incidents occurred while he was occupied with the transportation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Nuer community to Mayom County in Unity State.
“I was on the other side of Rumamer County headquarters with UNISFA, organizing the departure of Nuer IDPs to Mayom County, Unity State. Meanwhile, the Juol-Jook hospital, managed by MSF, had significant materials in containers. The armed youth from Twic County, along with SSPDF soldiers, unlawfully entered the hospital, making off with 185 patient beds and mattresses,” he said.
Kiir added that similar looting occurred at the Abyei FM radio station and the health center operated by the GOAL organization. “Abyei FM’s solar panels and radio equipment were all taken, along with solar panels from GOAL. This occurred on Thursday, as they typically looted at night. Then, on Friday, the same looters returned during the day to try to take the remaining items from the Juol-Jook hospital. Local armed youth confronted the attackers and wounded one person, according to intelligence reports,” he further explained.
Meanwhile, Bulis Koch, Abyei’s Minister of Information, confirmed the incidents and urged the Warrap government to implement President Kiir’s order to de-escalate violence along the Abyei-Twic borders.
“Yes, the armed youth from Twic stole more than 180 hospital beds and mattresses, two power generators, and broke into the GOAL health center, taking items worth approximately $50,000. Additionally, all of Abyei FM’s equipment was tampered with. This occurred at 6 o’clock in the morning on Thursday,” he stated.
Koch mentioned that Twic armed youth attempted to return to the Juol-Jook health center to take the remaining properties, but they encountered resistance from local armed youth up to the Menh Awan village. He reported that one attacker was wounded, while no casualties were reported among the Abyei local armed youth. He called on the Warrap State government to fulfill their responsibilities in implementing the presidential order aimed at halting hostilities at the borders.
“We urge the Warrap State government because we don’t see them implementing the republican order. They are not controlling their armed youth and have accused us of bringing in Nuer armed youth and Sudanese forces to fight them. Therefore, we request the Warrap State government to utilize organized forces to trace the hospital equipment taken by the youth and return them,” he appealed.
In response, Simon Aguek, Twic County Commissioner of Warrap State, refuted the charges against his youth regarding hospital looting. He explained that Abyei has its own issues with Nuer armed youth, who were repulsed following the Nyinkuec deadly incident.
Commissioner Aguek assured, “Our borders are secure these days, but we received information from Mayom authorities about an ongoing regrouping of Nuer armed youth. This has created fear that they might attack either Gogrial East County or Twic County.”
He added, “In the direction of Abyei, Abyei armed youth wounded an armed man from the Nuer in the Juol-Jook area. This Saturday morning, we received information about a significant presence of armed men at Athony, an area they haven’t reached before. These individuals are mixed with some forces from the Rapid Forces in Sudan who infiltrated from Mujlad through the Dubalei area, which belongs to Abyei, and then proceeded to Amiet up to the Athony area.”
Aguek emphasized the deployment of police at the Twic and Abyei border and noted that he instructed his Titbaai armed youth not to enter Abyei territory. He highlighted that Nuer armed men, who were chased away from Abyei, still reside in the Abyei bushes, which he believes might be the cause of attacks and looting, not the Twic armed youth, according to him.