At least two people have been killed and a child wounded in Lul area in Upper Nile’s Fashoda County from Sunday shelling by Dinka Akok militia supported by the Juba government, local authorities said.
Fashoda County Commissioner Morris Adiang Papiti told Radio Tamazuj that the same group had attacked the SPLA forces in Abanim area along the border between Akoka and Fashoda Counties.
He further said the incident occurred at around 6:00 am. The official added that clashes erupted between the SPLA and Dinka Akoka militia, but did not reveal the number of casualties during the clashes.
Meanwhile, a military source from Mathiang Anyoor militia loyal to President Kiir said they were attacked by the Dinka White Army from Akoka and Melut at Abanim area, but they were repulsed.
The Mathiang Anyoor element further said they were deployed in the area in order to prevent further clashes between the Dinka Akoka and Shilluk tribes from Fashoda County.
“Those attackers came with one tank and six Land cruisers. They tried to cross to Lul area, but when we stopped them they started shooting at us, prompting our forces to response,” he said.
The same source disclosed that they were casualties from the two sides, but without providing further details. For his part, Dinka Akoka chief Choli Guot Ajak has expressed concern about the renewed clashes between the Shilluk and Dinka Akoka.
He told Radio Tamazuj that the feud between the two tribes dates back to 2009, but it was resolved.
Ajak denied claims that the clashes were triggered by the killing of a Shilluk General from Johnson Olony’s forces on 1 April.
The Dinka tribal leader blamed the government for not solving the problem at the right time. He also called on the two sides to show restraint so that the feud is solved.
Thousands displaced
A weekly situation report from the UN said displaced people were moving from Melut to Mayom and Fashoda counties fleeing inter-communal violence. The report described the situation in Malakal, south of Lul, as “tense” with civilians moving into the UN base there for protection.
The UN’s humanitarian chief in South Sudan Toby Lanzer said in an online statement that about 2400 people fled from Hai Soma camp in Melut following ‘armed clashes’ between milita.
“As many as 10,000 people have moved from Melut to Fashoda in the past 48 hours,” he continued, adding that 4000 displaced arrived at the UN base in Malakal town.
However, it is unclear if those civilians were admitted to the UN base for protection. According to numbers released today by the UN mission in South Sudan, there are 21,638 people sheltering in the UN Malakal base, the same amount as last week.
Update: In a press statement released late Tuesday, a UN spokesperson clarified: “Close to 4,500 displaced people have recently found shelter in the UN Mission in Malakal, in Upper Nile State. This brings the total number of civilians in that site close to 26,000.”