At least two foreign cattle raiders from Turkana of Kenya have been killed, while two other Toposa locals sustained injuries in a cattle raid clash in Nadapal border, Kapoeta East County of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State.
The incident occurred after suspected Turkana raiders from neighbouring Kenya stormed Kraals in Nadapal and New Site, raiding about 15,000 herds of cattle. This prompted the youth in the area to follow them, where they exchanged fire, killing two and leaving two others injured.
The youth in the area, however, recovered the 15,000 raided cattle, and the two injured casualties are currently receiving treatment at Kapoeta Civil Hospital.
Abdalla Angelo Lokeno, Commissioner Kapoeta East County, told Radio Tamazuj that the incident happened on Sunday at 1 pm and 3:30 pm, respectively. He called on the state government to intervene in providing security to protect cattle herders from foreign aggression and raids.
“In Nadapal, they attacked Nadapal at around 1 pm, and in New Site, they attacked at around 3:30 pm. These are the Turkana. These herds of cattle are about 15,000, but they did not manage to take them. They were all recovered with some people injured. From the side of Toposa, there are two people injured, and on their side, there are two people killed,” he explained.
Peter Lokeng Lotone, Eastern Equatoria State Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement Agency, confirmed the incident. He said the government had laid a plan to initiate peace dialogue between the bordering communities of Turkana and Toposa aimed at a peaceful existence between them.
“The government of Eastern Equatoria normally conducts reconciliation between the people of Eastern Equatoria and the people of Turkana, so I think the dialogue has been made, but you know the cattle keepers always, they can violate at any time so that one will happen, but the government will not leave it like that, the government will still pursue and also bring them again back to the dialogue,” he said.
Efforts to reach bordering Turkana authorities for comment were not successful.