Armed youth from Western Lakes State attacked neighboring Eastern Lakes State, wounding six people and stealing nine cattle herds, a local official said.

The incident occurred in Anuol cattle camps of Ger County on Saturday.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, the commissioner of Ger County in Eastern Lakes State, Michael Mayor Malak said armed youth raided about 95 cows from Anuol cattle camps and 86 of them were rescued while nine were stolen.

“The situation is now calm and normal because the commissioners of Paloc, Aluak-Luak, Eastern Bahr Naam and Ger counties of the two neighboring states controlled the situation,” Malak explained.

The commissioner urged his counterparts to talk to their people to stop cattle raids. “Cattle raiding or cattle theft is not good because our communities are killing themselves with no benefits. It is better for us here as leaders to condemn such situations in greater lakes region,” he stressed.

Cattle are a main source of wealth for many communities. Cattle raids and revenge attacks have claimed several lives since South Sudan’s independence in 2011.