Police have confirmed the arrest of a prime suspect following deadly inter-clans clashes that left three people dead and six others seriously injured in Cueibet County of Lakes State.
The clashes reportedly followed a fight between two cattle owners using sticks on Monday.
Lakes State Police Spokesperson Maj Elijah Mabor Makuac told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that one of the primary suspects had been apprehended and brought to Rumbek.
He said the fighting erupted between two sections at the Majok Siko cattle camp of Ral-kou area, located between the borders of Rumbek North, Cueibet and Rumbek Central counties.
“This fighting started with sticks from 10am up 12pm and thereafter the guns were involved, leading to the killing of three people, and six others being wounded,” he said.
Makuac described the cause of the fighting as the encroachment of cattle from one kraal into another early in the morning, with the owner of the offending cattle offering no justification.
The police boss said the casualties were evacuated to a hospital in Cueibet while others were taken to the Rumbek State hospital.
The security situation, he explained, had returned to normal and that the investigations were underway.
The Rumbek Hospital Medical Director, Dr Terran Madit Terran, confirmed that the institution had received two casualties from the communal clashes.
He said both of them had gunshot wounds in the abdomen.
A Lakes State civil society activist Angelina Adhel condemned the loss of lives and the injuries to several other people.
The member of the Civil Society Organization Network ( CiSON) said that such acts of violence took the communities back to the dark years.