By Bida Elly David
At least 23 people were reportedly killed, and 14 others were injured in a clash between Ethiopian armed youth and youth in South Sudan’s Pibor Administrative Area.
Speaking to No.1 Citizen Newspaper yesterday, the Minister of Information for in Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) Abraham Kelang said among the murdered were three women and a child.
He said that the attackers started their aggression on Saturday around 9:00 a.m. in the morning with heavy arms emerging from Akobo County of Jonglei State and heading towards Lekuangole County of Pibor Administrative Area.
“The Ethiopian armed youth came from Akobo of Jonglei State. They started their aggression in Lekuangole and Nakurumong, killing a total of 23 people and injuring 14. The aggression of the foreign youth in support of the Akobo youth is a clear sign of encroachment into a foreign boundary and will create serious tension” he said.
Abraham said that the attackers still continued with further aggression as they did not yet withdraw from Pibor Administrative Area.
He said joined force made up of the youth of Akobo and the Ethiopians should be questioned by the government before the security situation escalated into carnage.
Kelang revealed that Pibor authority traced out the nationality of the attackers when an identity card was found on the body of one of the neutralized Ethiopian youth.
“We found a nationality card for one of the Ethiopians who was killed during the clashes. This is evidence to the government of South Sudan that there is a foreign intervention into the affairs of the country” he said.
Kelang warned that the government of South Sudan will regret if they fail to arrest the ongoing destruction caused by the foreigners in Pibor land.
He said that yesterday Sunday, the same foreign youth in collaboration with Akobo youth waged another attack in Kong-Kong Village of Lekuangole County.
“These Ethiopians who are in support of Akobo youth on Sunday also attacked Kong-kong village and the fight is currently ongoing. We managed to arrest the situation but they could not give up the fight but continued with further aggression” he added.