Authority in Akobo County in Jonglei state has reported ten died and several others wounded in an inter-communal violence. Official said the clashes started on Tuesday in one of the villages between the two-militia group known as the white army.
Gatwech Reath Deng, is the commissioner of Akobo county. He said the fighting started after two young men failed to agree over unspecified amount loan settlement at Deng-Jok area.
He said the creditor demanded the payment of his money but other man is alleged to have insulted the creditor that provoked him to shot and kill the man.
Deng said the other clan members went on a revenge and killed two people from other side and the issue escalate into confrontation between the two-armed group.
“It’s just a small incident that has expanded until it lost ten lives of people including a woman and 4 people wounded.” Deng said
The commissioner said he has reported the incident to the governor of Jonglei state Hon. Denay Chagor and is waiting their intervention.
Adding that the youth are heavily armed and the local police force in the area is unable to stop further violence.
Major General Joseph Mayen Akoon is the police commissioner in Jonglei state. He said they are trying to end the violence but finding it difficult because the local youth are heavily armed.
“Always when civilians are fighting among themselves it is very difficult to deal with, because the police force is not sufficient enough to create a buffer zone between the armed group” Akoon said
The minister of local government and law enforcement, Simon Hoth Dual, said the state government is engaging the military and other organized forces to send the forces to the area and help the situation.
A recent report released by the United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights accused the military and some politician in Jonglei of fueling inter-communal violence and supplies of small fire armed to local militias that killed more than 700 people.
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan urged the government of South Sudan to hold those accused of committed the killings and abductions accountable.