The commissioner of Torit County in Eastern Equatoria State has condemned recent clashes between communities in Hiyala Payam that left two people dead and called for dialogue to resolve the dispute.
Commissioner Lokang Charles Italian said the violence involved residents of Tirangore and Mura-Hatiha villages and occurred over the weekend at a shared grazing area.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Lokang urged the two communities to resolve their differences peacefully and avoid further retaliation.
“The violent encounters at the grazing land, where both communities were escorting and patrolling their cattle, led to tragic losses of innocent lives,” he said. “We must resolve our differences diplomatically instead of resorting to revenge that only perpetuates more violence.”
He also warned residents of Haforiere and nearby villages not to become involved in the dispute.
“While I have not received reports indicating Oguruny’s involvement, I urge Haforiere and Tirangore, as neighboring communities sharing grazing areas, to avoid becoming further entangled in disputes that are not theirs,” he said.
Lokang also reassured the public that the Torit–Hiyala highway remains safe and urged people not to spread misinformation.
“There’s no need for alarm regarding the conflict between Tirangore and Mura-Hatiha. People should feel free to travel along the road without fear,” he said.
Paramount Chief Galileo Ohide of Hiyala Payam said the violence began when youths from both villages escorted cattle to grazing land, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
Two youths from Mura-Hatiha were injured and later died while receiving treatment, he said. Odiha Daniel died at Torit State Hospital the same day, while Opego Michael later died in Juba.
Ohide said some youths from Haforiere were alleged to have joined Tirangore during the clashes.
“As tensions rose, gunfire erupted, leading to the deaths and injuries of individuals,” he said. “It is unfortunate that Haforiere youth, seeking resources for their livestock, chose to involve themselves.”
He appealed for calm, saying continued violence would only deepen suffering.
“This violence serves no purpose. Even if ten lives are lost, it only compounds the suffering for all involved. We must treat each other as family,” he said.
Chief Okila of Tirangore village confirmed that one person was injured during the clashes but denied reports that Haforiere and Oguruny were involved.
“Those allegations are unfounded; when the violence began, our community was already facing a crisis without outside interference,” he said.
The conflict between Mura-Hatiha and Tirangore villages began on April 25, 2025, over a land dispute and has since resulted in multiple casualties, including men, women, children and students.