At least four people were killed and three others wounded in two days of intercommunal fighting between the Ruotruot and Panyar sections in Cueibet County, Lakes State, local officials said Tuesday.
The clashes erupted Monday in Citcok and continued into Tuesday, according to William Koji Kerjok, the acting state minister of information and communication. He said the violence stemmed from a misunderstanding involving armed youth from the Panyar section passing through Tiaptiap Payam with cattle.
“There was fighting that started yesterday and escalated today,” Kerjok told Radio Tamazuj. “The cause was a misunderstanding related to the behavior of some armed youth from the Panyar section. As a result, four people were killed and three others injured.”
Kerjok said the acting county commissioner has intervened to de-escalate the situation and that security forces have been deployed to the area.
Mathew Manyot Magar, a Member of the National Legislative Assembly representing Cueibet County, also confirmed the violence.
“The fighting occurred in Cueibet today between the Citcok and Panyar communities,” he said, calling for urgent attention to the situation.
Daniel Laat Kon, Lakes State coordinator for the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), confirmed the fighting and said a number of people were killed in the violence. He noted that clashes resumed Tuesday morning and that casualty figures could rise.
“There is very low government attention to communal clashes, and this raises serious concern,” Kon said. “The government must intervene to prevent further loss of life in Cueibet County and other areas affected by intercommunal violence, such as Rumbek North.”
He called on authorities to disarm civilians and urged peace partners to organize dialogue initiatives. “If there is no intervention, more lives will be lost, and large-scale intercommunal violence could spread across the state,” he warned.
Intercommunal violence and cattle-related conflicts remain among the major security challenges facing South Sudan, particularly in remote areas.