Authorities in Warrap reported that heavily armed men believed to be from Unity State cattle raiders believed to be from Unity state have killed over 20 people in Gogrial East county as part of a cattle raid.

Speaking to Warrap State Radio, the State Minister for Information, Nyanguek Kuol Mareng, reported that, amongst the dead were 6 girls and one baby while 19 others were wounded.  It is claimed that they stole over 3000 cattle.

Kuol claimed that most of the causalities came from Gogrial East and Gogrial West counties in the state.  He added that the invaders overwhelmed police forces in the area with of heavy machine guns and that none of the stolen cattle from either county have been recovered.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Tonj East county in Warrap, Madhol Chol Thuc, stated that cattle raiders from Unity state were apparently fended off after trying to attack his county on Friday although Radio Tamazuj has no more information on the incident at this time. 

Cattle raiding between communities in Warrap and Unity state is not uncommon.  Last week it was reported that state governments in Greater Bahr el-Ghazal convened in order to discuss matters of insecurity, particularly in relation to cattle raiding.