At least 10 people have been killed and one injured in a series of cattle raids in South Sudan’s Jonglei state over the past two days, local authorities said.
More than 1,000 head of cattle were stolen in attacks carried out by armed assailants in Duk County, according to the county commissioner.
John Chatim Ruei said the latest incident occurred on Sunday afternoon on the outskirts of Duk Padiet town, where attackers raided cattle grazing in the fields.
“Seven youths were killed during the raid, and between 1,000 and 1,500 cattle were taken,” Chatim told Radio Tamazuj, adding that the animals had not yet been recovered and local youths were pursuing the attackers.
He said the same group had struck a day earlier in Pajut town, raiding 503 cattle and killing one herder.
“During the pursuit to recover the stolen cattle, two additional youths were killed and another one injured,” he said.
Chatim said the attackers were suspected to be armed youths from the neighbouring Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), citing the language spoken during the raid and their movement eastwards after the attack.
However, Jacob Werchum Jouk, the information minister for the GPAA, denied knowledge of the incident.
“We are not aware of any such cattle raid,” he said, adding that authorities in the area had been enforcing security measures along the border. “None of our youths crossed into Duk. These are just claims by peace spoilers.”
Cattle raids are common in Jonglei and neighbouring areas, driven by competition over resources and the widespread availability of small arms.