At least three people were killed in an attack carried out by an armed group on the residence of a spiritual leader in Mayom County, Unity State, last Wednesday.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Mayom County Commissioner John Bol Mayak said a group of armed men, believed to have originated from Ajakuac in Twic County, Warrap State, launched an attack on a spiritual leader’s family in Mayom.
The spiritual leader was only identified as Gatdeng.
“Nuer armed youth who had relocated from Mayom to Ajakuac in Warrap State were responsible for the attack on the residence of spiritual leader Gatdeng,” Commissioner John Bol said.
“The initial incident transpired around 9:00 in the morning, leading to the loss of one man’s life. The second occurrence unfolded around midnight on August 23rd, resulting in the tragic passing of a mother and her daughter,’ he explained.
According to the commissioner, the assailants had made contact with Gatdeng prior to the assault. “The assailants communicated with Gatdeng over the phone before the attacks, falsely claiming to be Dinka rather than Nuer,” he said.
The region of Mayom County has been grappling with a series of security-related challenges since 2022, with the incidents frequently traced back to armed youth who come from neighbouring Twic County.
For his part, William Wol Mayom, the Information Minister of Warrap State, vehemently denied any involvement of youth from his state in the assaults on Mayom County.
“I will reach out to the Commissioners of Warrap State, including Gogrial East, and they will have to confirm to me first. What I know is that there are no armed youths from our region involved in carrying out an attack on Mayom County,” he said.
Reacting to the incident, Sijin Yian, Chairperson of the Civil Society Network in Unity State, extended heartfelt condolences to the mourning families.“We extend our condolences to the relatives who have lost their loved ones,’ Yian said.