At least sixty people have died after armed cattle raiders attacked a village in Kapoeta North County of Eastern Equatoria State.
Authorities say 55 others have been wounded in the incident that took place at 5 AM in Lokoromai cattle camp on Wednesday.
The County Commissioner told Singaita FM that the attackers escaped with at least 15,000 herds of cattle belonging to Najje and Chumakori Payams.
“The coordinated attack on our people at the cattle camp took place when our youths were not aware… our [youths] who have been killed are 10 and 12 injured,” Commissioner Emmanuel Lolimo Epone stated.
Those wounded have reportedly been taken to Riwoto Primary Health Care Unit and Kapoeta hospital.
“According to the report yesterday about 60 people have been confirmed dead and the 55 injured have arrived Napak yesterday,” he added.
Commissioner Lolimo accused herders from from the neighboring Counties of carrying out the attack.
Budi County Commissioner said he has been notified about the incident.
“As authority of Budi County, I strongly condemn that raiding…we hear that there are some youths in Budi County who participated in the attack, so we have to verify that. I have assigned people to do that and we will follow it to confirm and verify it,” Commissioner Akileo Mboya said.
At Kapoeta Civil Hospital, a surgical doctor who did not want to be identified by name said they are trying their best to stabilize the gunshot wounds despite the insufficient medication.
“We have shortage of fluid but we tried our best to get available resources to reinstated all of them. Some of them cannot be managed here at the level of the facility [because] we are lacking some things. I have one patient with open fracture which we cannot make it here. We will send to Juba,” he said.
The County Commissioner of Kapoeta North is appealing for medical support to the victims of the attack.
Lolimo is also calling on the government to address the incident.