Policeman killed while recovering stolen cattle in Tonj South County

An armed man guards cattle in a village in South Sudan. [Photo: Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images]

The authorities of Warrap State said one policeman was killed while rescuing 28 cows raided from Manyang Ngok Payam of Tonj South County.

The authorities of Warrap State said one policeman was killed while rescuing 28 cows raided from Manyang Ngok Payam of Tonj South County.

Mabior Ajiech, the Tonj South County acting commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj Thursday that armed youth from Cueibet County in neighboring Lakes State attempted to raid 28 cows from Akuchceng village but that the police thwarted their mission.

He said the rustlers killed one policeman as they fled to Cueibet County.

“What happened in Panketh cattle camp on Wednesday was that armed youth from Cueibet County in Lakes state raided 28 cows at Akuchceng grazing land in Manyang Ngok Payam at 3 pm,” he said. “The report reached us at around 5 pm the same day and I ordered the police forces to run after the criminals, and they managed to recover 28 cows but one security officer was shot dead by the raiders who ran to the bushes.”

According to Commissioner Ajiech, the police are still pursuing the rustlers in Cueibet County. He said the general situation in Tonj South County is stable.

Meanwhile, William Wol Mayom, the Warrap State information minister, confirmed the incident but said calm had returned to the area.

“Generally, the situation is calm only that on Wednesday armed youth suspected to be from Cueibet raided 28 cows but fortunately the joint operation from Cueibet and Tonj South counties at the borders managed to recover the 28 cows,” he said. “One of the security operatives was killed and the criminals fled.”