A herdsman was killed and about 130 cows stolen during a raid in Uror County, Jonglei State were recovered last Wednesday evening, a local official said.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, on Friday Tang Chatim, the Uror County commissioner, said, “A cattle camp in the Paluony area of Pieri Payam was attacked by an armed youth group on Wednesday evening. A camp youth leader was killed on the spot and 130 cows raided, but those stolen animals were later recovered by our local youth.”
The local official pointed out that the county is calm despite the incident and called on armed Pibor bandits, whom he accused of the attack, to desist from cattle raids.
Lt. Akec Mapiou, the Jonglei State police spokesperson, said they have yet to get details about the incident but that cattle-related incidents have been on the rise in parts of the state over the past weeks.
“We have issues of criminals suspected to be our neighbouring Murle not only in Uror but in some areas like in Bor. They are always found by people who go to the bush to look for firewood and poles. On the recent issue I still don’t have a detailed report of casualties,” Lt. Akech said.
For his part, Judi Jonglei the speaker of the now-defunct Boma State, denied knowledge of the incident saying their local youth are engaged in the ongoing clashes in parts of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
“No, we don’t have any information to that effect. We have people attacking our areas, is it possible for our youth to leave and go and attack another place?” Jonglei asked.