By Hou Akot Hou
Authorities in Tonj South County, Warrap State, have reported that two people, a soldier and a civilian, were killed on Tuesday during an attack on cattle herders.
According to Marko Mawein Madut, the police inspector in the county, the incident occurred when a group of raiders attacked the boys who were herding cows in the Kuen-Kar Thiit area. The assailants then fled towards Cueibet County in neighbouring Lakes State.
“The attackers set a ploy to loot a hundred heads of cattle at Kuen-Kar thiit in Tonj South County. These people were pursued and unfortunately, they were found to have taken the cattle and ambushed people, fighting them until they killed two civilian people and a soldier with SSPDF [South Sudan People’s Defence Forces] uniform on,” Madut said.
The police official added that one of the attackers was also killed during the confrontation, and he was wearing an SSPDF uniform.
Madut stated that the authorities will coordinate with their counterparts in Cueibet County to attempt to recover the stolen cattle and return them to their rightful owners.
The police have urged residents to be vigilant against the persistent problem of cattle raiding, which continues to plague the area despite ongoing disarmament efforts.
Madut advised that able-bodied herders should accompany their cattle instead of relying on young boys, in order to better protect their livestock.
Such cases of cattle being looted have been rampant despite disarmament efforts being rendered year in, and year out.