By Hou Akot Hou
Authorities in Tonj North County, located in South Sudan’s Warrap State, report that at least three people were killed during a cattle raid on Monday, according to police sources.
The incident occurred between two groups, the Nooi and Lier sections, both part of the Awill community in Tonj North.
Officials believe that the cattle raiders came from the Nooi section and attacked the Lier section, stealing hundreds of cattle as an act of revenge for previously looted herds.
The acting police inspector in Tonj North described the event as a troubling trend, saying, “Two people died from the Nooi section, who many believe instigated the attack on the Lier section, and two others from the Lier group.”
He explained that the Nooi section felt aggrieved due to the significant loss of cattle they suffered in the past, which led to their retaliatory actions against the Lier cattle herders.
The inspector urged for calm, emphasizing that such acts are uncivilized and detrimental to promoting peaceful coexistence in the county and the state as a whole.
Tonj North has been experiencing sporadic incidents of cattle raiding and revenge killings, despite government efforts to disarm offenders.