By Deng Ghai Deng
At least 20 people were killed and 38 others wounded on Saturday during intense inter-communal fighting in Tonj North County of Warrap State, according to state officials.
The violence erupted between two sections of the Lou community in Alebek Payam, triggered by criminal elements who had returned to the area and incited armed youth to clash.
State Minister of Information, Willam Wol Mayom, reported that the incident is linked to previous inter-communal violence in the area.
“At 11 o’clock, on the 12th of this month, fighting again erupted between Pan Ariik of Alebek Payam in Tonj North County,” Wol said. “That fight cost the lives of 20 people and left over 38 others wounded on both sides.”
The state government is struggling to contain the situation due to severe flooding that has rendered roads impassable.
Security forces have established roadblocks to prevent the supply of ammunition to the conflict zone.
“We technically deployed the forces on the roads to block the supply of ammunition to the site, and yesterday the county acting commissioner successfully apprehended three suspects attempting to smuggle ammunition into the area,” Wol added.
Minister Wol called for calm among community members as the government works to address the situation. The number of casualties is expected to rise as authorities await the final battlefield report from county officials.
Civil Society Activist, Edmund Yakani of the Community Organization for Progress Organization (CEPO) condemned the incident and urged the state leadership to urgently intervene to restore calm.
This incident happened days after President Salva Kiir directed the newly-appointed Governor of Warrap State, Francis Marial Abur, to speedily address the violence in the state.
“You must find amicable solutions to the issues in Warrap,” President Kiir told the new governor during his swearing-in last week in Juba.
Francis Marial was appointed as Governor of Warrap State last week, after the revocation of the appointment of the former director general of the Internal Security Bureau of the National Security Service (NSS), Gen. Akol Koor Kuc, as Governor.
This is yet another tragic incident days after the massacre of over 20 people in Wonduruba Administrative Area and Ganji of Juba County, Central Equatoria State.