Cattle raiders killed at least four people and took 66 cattle early Saturday morning in Abyei town, local leaders and relatives said.

A relative of one of the victims told Radio Tamazuj that two children, aged 11 and 15, and two men in their twenties were killed around 1:30 am.

Sultan Belbek Deng Kuol, a leader of the Ngok Dinka, blamed the attack on members of the Messeriya tribe and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

“The tactics they used to raid in the town was too advanced,” Belbek said.  “This was beyond Messeriya tactics.  These were the organized forces from SAF, although there were Messeriya involved.”

He said some of the raiders were well-armed and wearing SAF uniforms and accused the SAF of arming the Messeriya.  He also said South Sudan’s rebels had incited them to attack.

Belbek said the raiders headed toward Sudan with the cattle after the killings.

The relative said the four victims were buried later on Saturday in Abyei town.