Authorities in Lakes State have said that armed youth suspected to be from neighboring Panyijar County of Unity State last Wednesday killed a second lieutenant of the wildlife service and a civilian.
The incident occurred in the Amongping Payam fishing grounds and the assailants are said to have made off with two motorcycles.
Stephen Mathiang Deng Monydit, the minister of cabinet affairs and acting state information minister, told Radio Tamazuj that tensions were high along the Unity and Lakes States borders as of last Thursday.
“The armed youths from Panyijar County of Unity State have intensified very serious attacks on our people in Lakes State. Last week they attacked the same area of Amongpiny killing people and raiding cattle,” Minister Mathiang said. “Now they have come back and killed two people and they are seen to be huge in number and nobody knows what the motive or plan is, whether they wanted to attack people or wanted to raid cattle in Lakes State again.”
He added, “Now, I can see the vehicles being mounted with several soldiers. These soldiers might be going to Amongpiny Payam of Rumbek Central County to see what is happening between Panyijar County and Amongpiny Payam.”
Amongpiny Payam administrator, Bagic Machok, said that the two people identified as Lt. Maduet Machok and a civilian called Makuoi Makam, were killed while fishing in his area.
“These people came from Unity State and killed two people in Amongpiny. They did not take any cattle but they took three motorbikes. We do not know their motives but they are criminals,” Machok said.
He added that the situation in Amongpiny Payam, which neighbors Panyijar County of Unity State, has been tense since armed youth attacked and raided over 300 head of cattle from Amongpiny last month.
Attempts to reach the Unity State information minister, Makuei Bol, for comments were futile.