The commissioner of Tambura County in Western Equatoria State has said the death toll following ethnic violence in there between June and August has risen to 170.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Tuesday, Commissioner Mathew Mabenge said the county authorities last week discovered 42 dead bodies in surrounding villages in the outskirts of Tambura town.

“In the last 7 days, we managed to discover at least 42 dead bodies and we are still collecting. Now there are 162 plus 8 dead bodies which are now 170,” Commissioner Mabenge said.

He called upon the national government to intervene by urgently sending security forces to the area.

“The national government is supposed to send national security forces from Juba to this end because what I am seeing here is that you have to sympathize with the situation,” Mabenge said. “They are saying it is a tribal conflict, it is not their mandate and they cannot get involved. So, this is where I am saying national forces must come.”

Last week, several people were reported killed including the former Tambura County commissioner, Babiro Charles Gbamisi, who was attacked and killed in his house by armed men.

Several villages including Ezo, Yubu, Akpa, and Kpatanayo have been abandoned by their inhabitants and over 2000 displaced persons, mostly women and children, arrived in the Western Bahr el Ghazal State capital, Wau, last week.

The IDPs reported that they are fleeing insecurity caused by armed conflict between sections of the Balanda and Azande communities.