Clashes over cattle kill 13 in South Sudan’s Tonj South

KUAJOK – At least thirteen people were killed, and an unknown number was wounded in Tonj South County of South Sudan’s Warrap State on Thursday when armed local youth clashed over cattle, local officials said.

Tonj South County Commissioner Ring Deng Ading told Sudans Post this afternoon that fighting erupted at around 4:00 AM when armed youth from the Apuk Juwiir, Yar Ayiei, and Muok communities attacked the Thony community.

“There is fighting that began this morning at around 4:00 AM. Three communities from the Apuk Juwiir, Yar Ayiei, and Muok fighting one community of Thony versus one community and 13 people are confirmed dead and I am still gathering more information,” he said.

All four communities are located in Tonj South County.

According to the commissioner, the fighting stemmed from cattle raids between the communities in December and January. He said that attempts to resolve the issue had been unsuccessful.

“There were some cattle that were raided in December and January and these communities have never stopped fighting, so they go back and forth, back and forth until today,” he added.

Deng said that the fighting was still ongoing as of 1:00 PM local time. He stated that he had deployed forces in an attempt to separate the fighting civilians but that they had not yet succeeded.

“The situation is still tense, they are still fighting though I sent some forces to separate them, but still. They are still maneuvering around the forces. I have deployed 150 soldiers in the area,” he added.