The authorities in Lakes State’s Rumbek North County have confirmed that seven people, including three soldiers, two children, and two women, were killed, and six others were injured during a cattle raid in Mapier Town by armed youths suspected to have come from Panyijiar County in neighboring Unity State in the wee hours of Wednesday.
County Commissioner Moses Maker Magok told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the attack happened at 12:47 a.m. and that it displaced many people before local armed youth who protect cattle, popularly known as galweng, from the Pakam Community managed to recover their raided cattle.
“Pakam armed youths and the organized forces managed to recover the raided cattle after the attackers were followed by the Pakam Community youths,” he said. “An unspecified number of cattle were raided, but they have all been recovered by the youths and security personnel. Even now, I am seeing galweng returning with recovered cattle to Rumbek North County.”
“The people who have been killed are of three categories, and they include one SSPDF soldier, two policemen, two children and two women,” Commissioner Maker added.
He said some of the assailants were killed but that he was not sure about the exact number.
“The attackers were from Panyijiar County in Unity State, and you cannot differentiate between the SPLM-IO and armed youths because they both often attack Rumbek North County,” Maker stated.
When contacted, Stephen Gai, SPLM-IO commissioner in Panyijiar County, categorically denied that elements from his jurisdiction were behind the attack.
“No, it is not true that armed youths from my county went and attacked Rumbek North County. My friend, Rumbek North is not only bordered by Panyijiar County, but also by Mayiendit, Leer and Koch counties of Unity State. So, you cannot suspect that the attackers are from Panyijiar,” he said. “I am confident that our youths did not move out to attack, so you can check with Mayiendit, Koch, and Leer counties because maybe armed youths from those locations went to Rumbek North County.”
He urged the authorities in Rumbek North County to verify the information before making false accusations.
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