After an ambush along Abyei-Aneet Road on Sunday evening, the deputy head of Abyei Administrative Area and five of his security officers have been confirmed dead, according to an official.
Brigadier General Noon Deng Nyok, the late deputy chief administrator, was from Abyei and traveling to Agok, according to Maj. Gen. John Bak, the police commissioner of the Abyei Special Area Administration.
He was on his way to Agok to join the locals in celebrating the new year.
”It was around 6:00 p.m. when the deputy chief administrator, Noon Deng, was killed, along with five security personnel who were escorting him to Aneet for today’s prayers. They were in one car belonging to the deputy chief. They left Abyei at 5:30 PM with the intention of going overnight to Agok to attend prayers with the communities there, but unfortunately, he met his death,” Maj. General John Bak told Mayardit 90.7 FM.
John Bak accuses suspected youth from Twic of having launched the attack and killing.
In response, Twic county commissioner Simon Aguek Chan refuted the accusation, claiming that the incident happened far from place from Twic armed youth
”It is very unfortunate news. I want to say that no Twic armed youth launched the attack. As I heard the news the same way, I want to say that the area where the incident occurred is very far from where Twic armed youth reside. So Twic is not responsible for the killing of the deputy chief administrator,” Simon Aguek lamented.
The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) strongly condemns the killing of Hon. Noon Deng Nyok, the Deputy Chief Administrator of Abyei, along with five other people during an ambush by an armed group at Wunpeth, near Agok.
According to UNISFA, the Deputy Chief Administrator was known for his dedication to community service and commitment to fostering unity and peace.
“This act of appalling and senseless violence risks the gains that have been made towards resolving the difficult situation in Southern Abyei. It is also a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced in securing and maintaining peace across the Abyei region,” the statement reads.
UNISFA calls on all parties to exercise restraint and collaborate in bringing the perpetrators of this crime to justice.
”The mission reaffirms its commitment to supporting local authorities in their efforts to promote reconciliation, stability, and the rule of law,’ it adds.
Since February 2022, the dispute between the two communities over the ownership of the Aneet area has led to deadly clashes.
Since then, armed youth from the two communities have been attacking each other.
This occurs despite the conduct of several peace dialogues and a recommendation suggesting the application of facts based on the 1956 Bahr el Ghazal-South Kordofan border.
So far, the intercommunal clashes have claimed about 170 lives.
