10 killed, 15 injured in Unity state attack
Article
Comments (32)
email Email
print Print
pdfSave
separation
increase
decrease
separation
separation
facebook
myspace
twitter
buzzyahoo
July 12, 2013 (BENTIU) - Over 10 people were killed and 15 injured in
South Sudan’s Unity state on Friday when about 300 young men,
suspected to have crossed the border from neigbouring Lakes state
attacked Payinjiar county, an official said.
PNG - 26.3 kb
Map of South Sudan’s Unity State.
Simon Chuol Biel, the Payinjiar commissioner told Sudan Tribune via a
satellite phone that more than 1,000 people have been displaced from
Kanynhial, Guor and Mayom payams [districts].
Those who carried out the attack, Biel claimed, came from Rumbek North
county in Lakes state, adding that more than 900 cows were looted
during the attack.
Many people are still missing or remain unaccounted for as some are
feared dead or may have been kidnapped by the raiding force, he said.
Simon Gatluak Pech, a legislator who represents Payinjiar, also told
Sudan Tribune the armed men came from neighbouring Lakes state.
He put the death toll, earlier on the day of the attack, at 10, adding
that 15 people had been critically injured.
"The attackers were armed with firearms, including eight PKM machine
guns," Pech said, alleging they wore uniforms similar to those used by
South Sudan’s army (SPLA).
Speaking in Juba, however, the SPLA spokesperson Philip Aguer, said
the army had no knowledge of the attack, adding that the military is
mandate to protect the country and its civilian protection against
external aggression.
"The SPLA cannot therefore move into an area inhabited by civil
population for which it is mandated to protect and attack”, he said.
Aguer said that the best way to separate armed communities was to
allow "local authorities come up with a decision to address the
conflict."
Last month the governors of Lake, Unity and Warrap states passed a law
to impose death sentences to those convicted of cattle raiding.
Cattle raiding has been a constant cause of insecurity in the two
years since South Sudan separated from Sudan.
The three bordering states have agreed to immediately implement the
death penalty against those instigating or carrying out cattle raids
along their borders.
Recently, the Inspector General of Police, Pieng Deng Kuol on his
visit to the Unity state’s capital Bentiu, called for an increase in
the number of joint police operations along the volatile
Lakes-Unity-Warrap border.
Poor infrastructure has hampered attempts of the police and army to
patrol border areas.
Both Lakes and Unity states are currently ruled by caretaker governors
after president Salva Kiir removed their elected governor this year.
Taban Deng Gai of Unity state earlier this month while Chol Tong Mayay
of Lakes state left office in January.
South Sudan’s constitution allows the president to remove elected
governors for reasons of national security. Both men were elected into
office in 2010.
Since coming into office in January Matur Chut Dhuol asked all
civilians to pay 350 South Sudanese pounds to register their weapons
rather than emphasising disarmament.
Officials in Lakes state’s capital Rumbek told Sudan Tribune. on
condition of anonymity, that a group of cattle keepers had been
observed moving with their weapons towards the Unity sate border.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"South Sudan Info - The Kob" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14oqL9s0peqM8qf170FcA%2BBJo%3D5u6Vkge0AuCCnm1SP3cdw%40mail.gmail.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
