By Tereza Jeremiah Chuei
At least eleven have been reported killed, fourteen others wounded and one child abducted in Aneet Area allegedly by the Twic armed group according to the Information Minister of Abyei Administrative Area (AAA) Ajak Deng Miyen.
The minister also said among the eleven killed is a baby of four months and a woman.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, Ajak stated that, “Preliminary reports now indicates that eleven are killed on our side (Abyei) that includes one baby and also one child was abducted, while 14 others were wounded and that includes one woman,”
He said some dead bodies of the attackers were seen on the ground, citing that maybe the authorities from the side of the attackers will disclose the number of the bodies.
He also revealed that the alleged attackers have also looted some food items.
Previously, Aneet-committee was formed with its secretary Dr. Dhieu Mathok.
Mathok had then recommended that President Salva Kiir should establish national border demarcation commission to address internal border conflicts across the country.
“We met his Excellency the President on Friday and we submitted the report to him. What is important in that report is the policy action which the committee recommended to the government to be taken such that the issue is addressed,” Dr. Mathok said.
“We realized that the issue of boundaries is the one causing a lot of communal violence, it has to be taken seriously by government not only in case of Ngok – Twic but also in many communities which are now fighting over boundaries in South Sudan,” he added.
The report also called for formation of special courts in Aneet led by judges from high court to address atrocities committed during the violence.
On the same note, Executive Director for Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) Edmund Yakani, said that the alleged group of Twic attacking Ngok of Abyei are politically motivated by the allies of the President, furthering that, “That is why the President finds it hard to sanction them,”
“The youth are not by themselves or on their own, they are politically motivated,” he said.
Yakani claimed that these are not Twic youth attacking Dinka Ngok, “This Youth are politically motivated,” if not where are they finding the guns from,” the activist questioned.
Previously, clashes of armed youth from Twic and Abyei had resulted to killing and injuries from both sides.
According to reports the dispute started as a protest against land survey in Aneet area but later exacerbated into bloody violence and displaced thousands of residents.
On 25 February 2022, President Salva Kiir formed high level fact-finding committee led by the Vice President for Service Cluster Hussein Abdelbagi Akol and deputized by Joseph Nguen Manytuil to probe Aneet shootings and report to him within 21 days.
On the same note, a State Minister and three County commissioners were put under house detention after they were implicated to have taken part in renewed clashes.