At least two people were killed and 260 herds of cattle raided in separate attacks in Uror County of Jonglei State since Friday, local officials said.
Speaking to Radio told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday, Uror County Commissioner Machot Gatluak Kenyjak said the killings and cattle raids occurred in separate attacks launched by an armed youth group in parts of the county since Friday evening.
“The first incident occurred in Karam Payam where a group of seven men attacked a family house on Friday at around 7 pm, shooting dead an elderly man,” Machot said. “In Motot Payam, 150 cows were raided from Rubmaker village at 11:40 pm the same day while 20 minutes later (12 am), 110 cows were raided from Padien village. Also, a herdsman was killed, and several cows were raided Saturday at 12 pm in an attack on Pulchuol.”
The county commissioner said armed youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) were involved in the attacks.
Meanwhile, Jonglei State information minister John Samuel Manyuon and Gatluak Reath Wol, the Uror youth leader, also confirmed the incidents and said the recurring attacks in parts of the county are causing fear and panic among the locals.
“Armed youth from Murle continue to kill and raid cattle from our territories. This is alarming. So, there are youths from Greater Pibor who are in the areas of Jonglei. In as much as we see the other one, they are also doing the same thing to our people,” John Samuel said.
On Wednesday, Simon Peter Ajany, the GPAA local government minister, said no youth from his area were involved in attacks on Jonglei areas.