More than 3,000 cows were stolen by a group of armed men in parts of Nyirol County of Jonglei State on Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
“On Thursday afternoon, some armed group raided grazing fields at the villages Guer, Leek, Ngarjok and Payilieth in Pading Payam, Uror County. The gunmen took about 3,950 cows while grazing at those fields,” Makuei Puok Bai, the acting Nyirol County commissioner told Radio Tamazuj Thursday evening.
The local official pointed out that the county youth have pursued the attackers to retrieve the stolen animals.
Puok said, “Our youth are still pursuing those criminals to get back the stolen animals. Fighting is ongoing, and we have yet to receive the details.”
He accused armed Murle youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) of carrying out the attacks.
Michael Ruot Koryom, a lawmaker representing Nyirol County in the national legislative assembly, said the local youth are fighting to recover the stolen animals.
“While people are busy in Juba with peace initiatives, our Pibor neighbors are busy with attacks. This afternoon, they raided Guer village and went away with over 3,000 cows. They are being pursued by our youth” He said.
The lawmaker warned the recurring attacks will derail an ongoing Greater Jonglei peace initiative if the government fails to intervene.
A Member of Parliament in the GPAA legislative assembly, aAbraham Longole, denied the Murle youth involvement in the attack, saying they are committed to peace in Greater Jonglei.