Author: Madrama James | Published: 10 hours ago
Armed youth walk a village in South Sudan’s Pibor region. Photo: AFP
Authorities in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area have reported that eleven people were killed in inter-communal violence on Wednesday involving local youth and youth from Greater Kapoeta in Eastern Equatoria State.
According to Jacob Werchum, the Minister of Information in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, said the clashes occurred mid-morning in Morech at Moruwo headquarter of Verteth County.
Werchum called on leaders in Eastern Equatoria to take steps to prevent further incidents along the border areas.
“Yesterday morning around 10:45 a.m., armed individuals from the neighboring Toposa tribe in Eastern Equatoria State launched an attack on the Greater Pibor Administrative Area. The assault resulted in the deaths of four local residents and seven attackers,” Werchum told Eye Radio.
He said no women, children, or livestock were harmed during the incident.
“Fortunately, there were no injuries to women or children, and no cattle were harmed during the incident. The local youth bravely responded to the attack and succeeded in repelling the militants back to their territory in Kapoeta East County, Eastern Equatoria State,” he said.
The minister condemned the repeated violence and urged the Eastern Equatoria State leadership to cooperate in restoring peace and security in the area.
“As a government, we strongly condemn these ongoing cycles of violence against our communities in southern Greater Pibor. We urge the leadership of Eastern Equatoria State, especially the governor and authorities in the border counties dominated by the Toposa tribe, to intensify efforts to put an end to these repeated attacks.
“The people of Greater Pibor remain committed to peace and good neighborly relations with all their regional neighbors,” Werchum added.
When contacted, John Elia Ahaji, the Minister of Information in Eastern Equatoria State, confirmed the incident.
He said the clashes followed intelligence reports that armed groups from both sides were preparing raids.
“We received credible intelligence from the Kauto area indicating that a group of youth criminals originating from Pibor was planning to conduct a raid in that region,” Ahaji said.
“According to patrol reports, these youth encountered members of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, who were also planning to carry out a raid. The two groups clashed during this encounter.
However, he said “we currently lack detailed information about the incident, including the exact casualties and what transpired between the groups. The data collection on both sides is still ongoing. That is the information I can provide at this moment.”
