Local authorities in Jonglei State’s Nyirol County have warned of escalating violence following recent renewed cattle rustling between the Gawar Buer Community in Ayod County and their Lou Nuer neighbors from Nyirol.
The warning comes in the wake of last week’s incident in which armed youth from Nyirol’s Pading Payam reportedly attacked a cattle camp in Ayod, rustling cattle and leaving several people dead.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Peter Gatkuoth Koang, the Nyirol County SPLM-IO-appointed commissioner, said the people of Pading are living in fear of an imminent retaliatory attack by youth from Ayod.
“Three days ago, our youth from Pading attacked a cattle camp in Ayod. The attack was a heavy one. Cattle were raided and many people were killed, although the specific number is unclear,” he stated. “Gawar youth pursued the attackers; 18 Lou Nuer youth were killed, and all the raided animals were recovered.”
“Now, people are living in fear that the Gawar youth may pursue the Lou Nuer youth deeper into Pading even after having recovered their cattle,” Commissioner Gatkuoth added.
He condemned the attack, which he says was politically motivated.
“Those youth had mobilized and left from Pading, an area where the government-appointed commissioner for Nyirol is based, and this means the government is instigating the violence to destabilize our county,” Gatkuoth said.
Meanwhile, Nyirol County Information Director Both Jal also expressed concern over the escalating violence.
“This cycle of violence is occurring repeatedly, and before this incident, our youth from Pading also raided cattle from Ayod three weeks ago. In this latest incident, the information we received on Sunday was that Gawar youth pursued these people from Pading, killing 30 and recovering their cattle,” he explained. “We also learnt that 10 Lou Nuer youth were captured alive. So, now there is fear that the fighting may reach Pading and the rest of Nyirol.”
For his part, Ayod County Commissioner James Chuol Jiek condemned the attack as heinous and urged the Lou Nuer youth to restrain themselves.
“The attack was deadly, and a few weeks ago, Nyirol youth successfully raided cattle from Chuilbong,” he said. “Three days ago, they came but were confronted. On our side, we lost 19 youths, and 10 were injured. Fighting is still ongoing in the bushes with the Lou Nuer youth.”
According to Commissioner Chuol, all raided cattle were recovered.
“Some of the youth returned after fighting off the Nyirol youth, and they will update me later in the day,” he said.