At least one person was killed and another one injured in clashes involving groups of youth from Chienit and Chiengkuoth clans of Pading Payam in Jonglei State’s Nyirol county on Thursday, local officials said.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Biel Jirk Lual, the county information director, said the incident started following a misunderstanding at a cattle camp between the two groups.
“Cie-Nit community is from Nyabor Payam and Chieng-Kuoth is from Pading Payam. There was no history of rivalry between them,” he explained. “What happened on Thursday was that two youth groups from the two clans had a misunderstanding which resulted in a gunfight.”
“One herdsman was killed and another one injured, but from one side. But currently, the situation is calm because there was an intervention,” Biel added.
For his part, Brigadier John Deng, the county police inspector, said they have yet to arrest any murder suspects but the situation has been calm since collecting cows as blood compensation.
“We intervened and quelled the tensions. We are now collecting cows as blood compensation from the clan whose youth killed and injured one person during the fight. The situation is now calm. So far, no arrest has been made but the suspect is identified as a police officer,” he said.
Isaac Pur Tut, the Pading community leader, confirmed that the area is calm.
“Following the incident, the Executive Director came with security forces and they restored calm. Now they are collecting cows to compensate the families of the deceased and the injured. The incident was an isolated one because these communities are one,” he said.