Eight killed, five wounded in communal violence in Ulang County

MALAKAL – At least eight people have been killed and five wounded in communal fighting between two sub-sections of the Nuer Community in Upper Nile State’s Ulang County, local government authorities report.

The incident occurred in Doma Payam on Sunday morning and lasted for approximately two hours.

Speaking to Sudans Post yesterday, Nasir and Ulang CID head John Jikany Geng said the incident took place in a village called Puak.

He stated that “The incident happened between 4:15 AM and 6:45 AM in Doma Payam of Ulang County, between Cie-Manbath and Cie-Rom. The fighting took place at a village called Puak.”

The specific cause of the conflict remains unclear, and the government’s response to the situation has not been fully disclosed.

While the local police officer did not provide further details, it is believed that the violence may be related to longstanding tensions between the two communities.

Communal violence and revenge attacks have become increasingly prevalent in Upper Nile State in recent months. Just two weeks ago, clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) and the White Army in Nasir County led to the deaths of at least three people.

Thousands of civilians were displaced as a result of the fighting and are facing dire humanitarian conditions in neighboring countries where they have fled to seek safety.

Government authorities in Nasir have recently called for the urgent integration of the main armed opposition SPLA-IO forces into the SSPDF to help prevent further escalation of the conflicts in the area.