Authorities in Manyo County in South Sudan's Upper Nile state said have they captured a Sudanese herder accused of involvement in stealing over 80 head of cattle in the area.

Manyo County Commissioner Rajeb Deng Ajak told Radio Tamazuj that a group of Sudanese herders stole over 80 cows and that they managed to arrest one of their tribesman who they will hold until the stolen cows are returned.

“We arrested a man called El Nur Saeed Haj Hamed El Nur from Awlad Himeid tribe from Jiadaid locality. The accused has confessed that they raided the cattle,” he said.

Rajeb called upon the family of the detained herder to bring back the stolen cows so that their son is released.

The official accused Sudanese herders from Jidaid En Nawari in South Kordofan of stealing the cattle.

He said the county has been witnessing other incidents of cattle thefts. He added they recovered about 30 cows now, while over 80 heads of cattle are still unrecovered.

Separately, the commissioner said they have recently received a shipment of medicines from the State Ministry of Health. He added the medicines are currently available in the county.

In August last year, commissioner Rajeb Deng  told Radio Tamazuj that the area was witnessing shortages of medicines in government areas after he had visited four payams under government control but saw no medicine available.

Manyo County has been witnessing fighting between the SPLA-Juba and SPLA-IO since fighting erupted in December 2013.  The county headquarters is under rebel control.