At least eight people were killed and seven others injured in an armed attack on Panlou village near Pariang town in South Sudan’s Ruweng Administrative Area, local authorities said on Friday.
The attack occurred at about 10 p.m. on Tuesday, prompting joint security forces to respond after hearing gunfire, according to police and local officials.
The fighting lasted about four hours, ending at around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, before the attackers fled towards neighbouring Unity State, authorities said.
Tony Chol Ayat, caretaker head of the Department of Information, Youth and Sport in Ruweng, confirmed the death toll and said eight people had been killed and seven others injured in the incident.
“The attackers had heavy weapons that we did not have. If the people had not been ready, the attackers could have taken control of Pariang town,” Chol told Radio Tamazuj.
He said the eight people killed comprised seven men and one civilian, while the seven injured civilians had been taken to hospital for treatment.
Chol said the attackers were suspected of coming from Mayom County in Unity State. He added that two suspected attackers had been captured alive by armed youths and are being held at a police station in Pariang.
John Bol Mayak, the caretaker commissioner of Mayom County, said he had heard reports of the incident before arriving in the county on Thursday but did not confirm the alleged involvement of people from Mayom.
“As far as I know, we do not share a border with Pariang. Pariang borders Rubkona and Guit counties in Unity State, while Mayom County borders only Abiemnhom County,” he told Radio Tamazuj.
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