This report is part of an exclusive series, 'War Economy', which focuses on the economic situation in South Sudan.

Authorities have begun paying police troopers in Lakes State their salaries for January and February after they threatened to strike unless they received their payment and arrears, according to Police Commissioner Cosia Kedit Mortat.

Early this week the police officers had given the state police commissioner five days to pay their arrears of January, February and March or else they would strike, Radio Miraya reported.

The army had crushed a police strike in neighboring Western Bahr al Ghazal State early this month killing two policemen. The state deputy governor admitted that the police had gone unpaid for four months, prompting the strike.

Mortat said the salary delay in Lakes State was because of an administrative irregularity in Juba, which has since been resolved. He claimed that salaries for January and February are being paid out, while payments for March will be made soon.

Lakes State is experiencing high levels of social unrest and inter-communal violence. The UN estimated on Monday that “heavy inter-communal violence” in Rumbek Centre and Rumbek East counties mid-month resulted in about 100 people killed and 36 people wounded.

Last night another four people were killed in an attack on members of the Ruop community in Rumbek Center County, according to the same police official.

He told the UN radio service, “Some people are still making revenge until last night in Majak-Ajok, there are some people shot people while they are sleeping. The report I got they say that they are four... we have sent our people also to go and bring the exact report to us today.”

File photo: Interior Minister Aleu Ayieny speaking to members of the South Sudan National Police Service, 12 May 2014 (Radio Tamazuj)