Sectional clashes leave 13 dead in Yirol West County

At least 13 people were killed and one wounded in inter-communal clashes in Annuol Payam of Yirol West County.

At least 13 people were killed and one wounded in inter-communal clashes in Annuol Payam of Yirol West County.

The revenge attack occurred on Thursday morning last week in Amulic Cattle camp when an injured victim of earlier clashes as a result of a girl’s elopement died on Wednesday in Yirol Hospital.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, the acting minister of information and communication in Lakes State, William Kocji Kerjok, said, “The situation in Annuol Payam of Yirol West County is not yet good because they are still fighting and of course there is a report of 13 people killed and the forces are trying to control the situation.”

Minister Kocji said the commissioner had been given more forces to go and contain the situation.

“Already there are some forces there around Maburzeed plus a few forces in Yirol West County and forces from Rumbek are currently on the way to rescue the situation,” Kocji said. 

He said the fighting erupted because a girl eloped a few days ago and her brothers went and killed four people from the side of their prospective in-laws. The family of the boy fought back and killed some members from the girl’s side and provoked the clashes.

“So people from different sections within that Payam have been fighting and that is what makes the situation hard for the government to control in a very short time. Now that reinforcements are going, I am sure the situation will be managed,” said Kocji.

The Payam administrator in the area, Daniel Ichok Dhieu, said that the clashes which erupted in the morning of Thursday in Annuol Payam between the two sections of Jeluth and Nyaying have claimed the lives of more than nine people.

"The cause of this clash between the two sections of Jeluth and Nyaying was a result of a girl’s elopement last month which claimed the lives of five people. One of the wounded in that incident on Wednesday died in Yirol Hospital and this was what caused the revenge attack on Thursday at 4 am in Amulic cattle camp,” Ichok said.

He said the two commissioners of Yirol West and Rumbek East Counties in Lakes State arrived at the scene with forces to stop the fighting and calm down the situation.

The chief inspector of police, Michael Mayor Malaak, said he was going to the scene of the fighting in Annuol Payam.