Suspected cattle raiders have killed a police officer while trying to recover stolen cattle in Wulu County, police in Lakes State have said.
On Thursday afternoon, the armed men drove away a number of cattle from a grazing field in the area.
Acting on a tip from the cattle owner, a police unit chased after the raiders in an attempt to retrieve the animals.
In the process, the raiders shot Sgt Justin Laat Mading, 39, in the stomach in an ambush.
“The raiders ambushed the police, wounding one person, who later bled to death before reaching a hospital,” said Maj Elijah Mabor, state police spokesperson.
Mabor said the rustlers managed to get away with all the animals.
Cattle raiding has a long history in South Sudan. However the vast supply of small arms in civilian hands has led to raids becoming more violent in recent years, reports show.
In remote areas the South Sudan Police lack the capacity to protect communities and so many cattle herders keep arms to defend themselves.
Studies further argue that, expensive marriage/remarriage, revenge, pride, accumulation of wealth, poverty, joblessness, and trade in livestock to be the major causes of rustling.