Authorities of South Sudan’s Warrap State Wednesday said relative calm has returned to Tonj North County after deadly clashes in Rualbet Payam last weekend.
The clashes, which left 18 government officers and seven civilians dead and scores injured, erupted on Saturday when armed Rualbet youth attacked the SSPDF soldiers who had been ordered to reclaim 125 cattle raided from the Konggor section in Aliek Payam.
The Military Chief of Intelligence Division 11, Lt. Col. Akec Ciman Paac, SSPDF Division 11 Military Chief for Operations Maj. Santino Kuot Kuotdit and the former Mayen Jur County Commissioner Kuol Agok, among others, died in the clashes.
Riing Deng Adiing, the Warrap State information minister and the official government spokesperson, told Radio Tamazuj Wednesday that the security situation is relatively calm.
“The security situation of Rualbet Payam, Tonj North County is relatively calm. I talked to one of the Payam administrators this morning, and he confirmed to me that there are no any activities of armed youth in advancing further attack,” he said.
Minister Deng warns that if the armed youth do not return the raided cattle and surrender their arms to the government, the state government will conduct a military operation in the area.
“The intellectuals of the Rualbet community request the government to intervene first by talking to their armed youth and the government granted them the chance. But, the state government’s intervention will be through engaging armed youth to surrender arms and return the raided cattle to its rightful owners or military intervention will follow,” he warned.
He revealed that there are no more reports of further deaths, adding that the wounded SSPDF soldiers were transferred to Wau for medical attention while the wounded armed youth are being treated at health centers in Warrap.
Meanwhile, Bak Ajuot, Tonj North County Executive Director, confirmed that the area has remained stable since Saturday.
“We didn’t yet get the new development of the situation. It has remained stable since then. The acting governor is with us here just to see what will happen. The acting governor is waiting for orders from Juba on what to do,” he explained.