Suspected armed youth from Twic County of Warrap State have abducted 10 women and raided 82 sheep in Ameth-Aguok county, Abyei area, authorities in Abyei said.

They added that the raiders are believed to enjoy the backing of Gai Machiek forces from in Ajakuac Payam of Twic County in Warrap State.

 Bulis Koch, Abyei Special Administrative Area Spokesperson, told Radio Tamazuj Saturday that the suspects sneaked through the corridors of Abiemnhom to access Ameth-Aguok County.

He said some abducted women were from Aweil in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, while others were from Twic County of Warrap State but lived near Amiet market in the Abyei area.

"Ten women were abducted on Friday noon time at Mading Buoi village in the northern part of Abyei near Amiet in Ameth-Aguok County and 82 sheep were also raided in the same day, 50 sheep were raided at Kol-Chum village and 32 were raided at Dokora village," Koch explained.

Koch also accused suspected Twic armed youth of being behind the theft of 140 goats and sheep in Mijak County on the 17th of January.

He disclosed that intelligence reports had revealed that the abducted women were traced to Ajakuac while the sheep might have been raided by suspected youth from neighbouring Twic County.

"These sheep belong to the Messeriya; they disappeared yesterday (Friday), but we were not sure until we received the intelligence report," Minister Koch stated.

Minister Koch said the abducted women were collecting roof-thatching grass for sale in the local market when the raiders pounced on them.

"These women don't even belong to Abyei; they are poor women of Aweil and Twic who used to sell thatching grasses for a living because they lived near the Amiet market. Even their grasses that were left were seen by UNISFA [UN forces]," he explained.

Minister Koch said that no casualties were reported during the raid. Messeriya herdsmen grazing the livestock reportedly returned home to report the incident.

Simon Aguek Chan, Warrap State's Twic County Commissioner, denied being privy to any information on the attack.

"Still, there is no update about the incident in Anyiel-Kuac. What I know is that there was a problem in Biemkat toward Abiemnhom in Ruweng State where rustlers raided goats from Anyiel-Kuac moved from Juol-Jok, Aneet and wanted to cross to Mayom County, and that caused a problem. I will call Ajakuac Payam administrator and feed you with more information about it," he said.