By Manas James Okony
At least five people were killed, seven others injured and 7,000 heads of cattle raided, during an attack by armed assailants in Uror County in Jonglei State.
Uror County Commissioner, James Gatkhor Gatluak told this publication that the incidence happened over the weekend.
He accuses armed youth, suspected to be from Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), of orchestrating the attack.
He noted that some of those injured were in critical state and that medical attention was being provided at a local facility.
“Murle youth launched a heavy assault on a cattle camp near Yuai town on Friday afternoon,” he said. “In the fighting, we lost five youth and seven were injured. All 7,000 cattle in the village were raided.”
The commissioner condemned the attack and reported that local youth were pursuing the assailants in an effort to recover the stolen cattle. “As a safety measure, residents have been urged to relocate from hotspot areas,” he added.
Peter Ajany Kaimoi, the GPAA Local Government Minister, said they were unaware of any attack involving their youth.
Bol Deng Bol, a civil society activist and executive director of INTREPID South Sudan (ISS), condemned the resurgence of inter-communal violence in Greater Jonglei, urging for swift intervention.
“This is a setback to the peace we have been advocating for. This situation is deeply disappointing,” he stated. “We need to condemn these actions and ensure strict follow-up on previous dialogue resolutions to prevent any return to the vicious cycle of inter-communal violence.”
Uror County is located in Greater Jonglei, a region often plagued by inter-communal violence driven by competition over resources such as land and cattle.
Tensions between the Murle, Dinka, and Nuer communities frequently escalate into violent clashes, particularly during times of drought.
Efforts have been made in recent years to promote peace and dialogue among these communities, but incidents like the recent attack highlight the ongoing challenges in achieving stability.
The involvement of armed youth and the large-scale raiding of cattle indicate a deep-seated cycle of violence that poses serious threats to local livelihoods and community safety.