The spokesman of the government of Lakes State says there were more than 30 people wounded or killed in inter-clan conflict in the state last week.
Dut Makoi Kuok, Lakes State Minister of Information, attributed the clashes on 9 January to cattle raiding and old rivalries between the two clans involved, saying the state authirities tried to mediate between them but their attempts failed.
“More than ten people died,” he said, explaining that he based his estimate on discussions with the peace council, youth council and commissioner of Rumbek East. Another 20 wounded were taken to Rumbek hospital for treatment.
Kuok emphasized that the authorities made efforts to contain the spreading violence, and no further clashes were reported after Thursday.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, he also recalled that there were “very big clashes” last year in January that claimed the lives of 98 people.
Relative to neighboring states Unity and Jonglei, Lakes has not witnessed major clashes between government and opposition forces, but its former governor Chol Tong Mayay is among those politicians detained in mid December.
File photo: A young cattle herder from the Dinka tribe carries his AK 47 rifle near Rumbek, capital of the Lakes State (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)