Wildlife conservation authorities in Aweil say they have arrested several hunters a few days ago in Aweil Center County who were in possession of a huge quantity of bush meat of different kinds of wild animals.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj today, the Wildlife Security Chief Captain Garang Chan Atak confirmed that they have detained many poachers in Aweil Center County after they killed animals and they would be brought to court soon.

He vowed that the Conservation Unit will launch other operations to areas where animals are being killed. The captain called on the national government to provide them some vehicles to facilitate their tasks.

"We have arrested many people in the bush, and we will bring them and take them to the court, so the court proceeds with their case," he said. "Whenever we are ready we go, we will spend this dry season in the bush protecting the animals so that these people don’t play with them, those whom we managed to arrest, we took them to the court, but their trial has not yet started because some of them failed to report themselves.”

"About five, six or seven people, they were brought because they killed animals, they were arrested in procession of meats, they were taken to the court in Aru County, the trial is not yet completed," he added.

"The reason is that some of the people involved in the crime, left their belongings and ran away, so people are pursuing them until they are [re]arrested and then they will face the law," said Garang Chan. 

File photo: Tiang, Bohor reedbuck and white-eared kob near a road in Jonglei State, 2007 (UNEP)