The local administration in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria State, has confirmed that 7 people were killed and hundreds of villagers displaced when rustlers clashed with cattle herders in the Owinykibul area of the now restive county on Monday.
Local sources said the assailants made off with an unspecified number of cattle from kraals situated near the Owinykibul Military Training Center.
Magwi County officials last week said cattle herders predominantly from Jonglei State had started leaving the area after tensions between the hosts who are farmers and the pastoralists.
Obany Micheal, the head chief of Iwire Payam, told Radio Tamazuj that an unknown group of cattle raiders stormed a cattle camp in OwinyKibul, killed 7 people, and rustled cattle in the process forcing many villagers to flee their homes for fear of insecurity.
“An incident happen here when some people we do not know came and raided cattle from Owinykibul and it forced many people to be displaced. It happened that side of military barracks, the place where cattle are kept,” Chief Obany said. “You know, when something like that happens, civilians always fear and run away. Many fled but a few remained.”
He added: “This incident occurred near the military camp where the cattle were taken from and some of the herders are injured and according to information we got, 7 people were killed from the side of cattle herders.”
For his part, the paramount chief of Iwire Payam, Onyango Joseph, said they have registered over 500 displaced people who are currently seeking shelter and protection at Owinykibul Central Primary School.
“As the Payam authorities, we have welcomed some displaced persons and we accommodated them in one of the schools and started counting them according to households and their individuals,” Chief Onyango said. “The total number we registered is 189 households with 565 individuals.”
Meanwhile, the commissioner of Magwi County, David Otto Remson, confirms the incident but said the information he received was still scanty.
“According to the information we got about the incident, there were clashes between the cattle keepers, and up to now, we did not get the information about the casualties. Of course, you know when there is a gunshot, the community will immediately evacuate themselves from the area,” Commissioner Otto said.
Dr. Bior Kuer Bior, the youth leader of the Bor community, when contacted denied the presence of cattle herders from Jonglei State in Owinykibul.
“We do not have cattle herders in OwinyKibul. Maybe, I do not know,” he said.