Five South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) soldiers and two civilians have been killed in fresh clashes between the army and armed youths in Cueibet County, Lakes State, local officials said.
Three other soldiers, including a senior army commander, were wounded in the fighting, which broke out after government forces attempted to recover cattle allegedly raided from a community in neighbouring Rumbek Central County.
The clashes took place in the Panliet area on Sunday after soldiers pursuing the cattle were ambushed by armed youths from the Gok community.
Acting Cueibet County Commissioner John Maluak Machut told Radio Tamazuj that the soldiers had been trying to recover cattle taken from Buoi cattle camp in Rumbek Central County when they came under attack.
“They sprayed us with bullets. We fought in self-defence from 2pm until 9pm,” Maluak said.
He said four soldiers were killed in the fighting, while three others were wounded. A fifth soldier, identified as Malok and described as a member of military intelligence, was also killed.
The wounded included SSPDF commander Bol Madok and two other soldiers, he said.
Maluak said two civilians were also killed during the clashes.
The armed youths fled into the bush with most of the cattle, he added.
“They escaped with all the raided cattle. Only 16 cows have been recovered,” he said.
According to the acting commissioner, the cattle had allegedly been raided by armed youths from the Pagor clan of the Gok community at Buoi cattle camp in Rumbek Central County.
Abraham Muoryar, the administrator of Mayom Payam in Rumbek Central County, said more than 70 cattle had been taken from the camp earlier this month.
“The raiders were from the Pagor clan of the Gok community,” he said.
Muoryar said soldiers initially recovered 12 cattle and later brought back another four. However, when the soldiers returned to recover more animals, the youths fled with the cattle.
He said the soldiers subsequently took milking cows from villages in an attempt to place them under military custody in Cueibet County, a move that angered the youths and triggered the clashes.
The recovered cattle are being kept at Mayath Payam headquarters, but authorities have been unable to return them to their owners because of the security situation, Muoryar said.
He also alleged that eight cattle were raided from Rumbek Central County on Sunday and taken to an area known as Majok Kabur.
Injured taken to hospital
Dr. Terran Madit Terran, the medical director of Rumbek State Hospital, said two people injured in the clashes had been brought to the hospital for treatment.
One had suffered a gunshot wound to the leg without a fracture, while the other had sustained a minor gunshot injury, he said.
“Both of them are now stable,” Dr Terran said.
He added that most of the wounded were being treated at a hospital in Cueibet County, while some casualties had not yet been brought to Rumbek.
South Sudan has experienced repeated clashes linked to cattle raiding and disputes between communities, particularly in parts of Lakes and neighbouring states. Such violence has often resulted in deaths, injuries and the displacement of civilians.
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