Six people were killed and at least 10 others wounded in clashes over disputed cattle grazing land in Lakes State, local officials said.
The fighting broke out on Friday at Makuei cattle camp between the Alieb and Panyar communities in Amokpiny and Paloc payams of Rumbek East and Rumbek Central counties.
Deng Majok, a senior local administrator in Paloc Payam, told Radio Tamazuj on Sunday that the situation had since calmed after state authorities and county commissioners from both counties intervened to separate the two groups.
“The fighting resulted in a total of six people killed on both sides,” he said, adding that the injured were taken to Rumbek State Hospital for treatment.
Medical director of Rumbek State Hospital, Dr. Terran Madit Terran, said the facility received four people with gunshot wounds at around 2:00 am on Saturday.
“We received casualties from the incident in Rumbek East and Rumbek Central counties,” he said, adding that all the patients were in stable condition and that their injuries were not life-threatening.
Daniel Laat Kon, the Lakes State coordinator of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO), condemned the violence and urged communities to resolve disputes peacefully.
“This is a very sad incident where six lives were lost and more than 10 people sustained gunshot injuries,” he said, calling on authorities to hold those responsible accountable and prevent retaliatory attacks.
Communal violence linked to cattle raiding and competition over grazing land is common in Lakes State, where the proliferation of small arms and weak law enforcement often fuel deadly clashes.