William Koji Kerjok, Acting Minister of Information and Communication in Lakes State, confirmed that the armed youth from Panyijar County killed four people in Yirol East County and raided thousands of cattle. Kerjok noted that organized forces attempted to pursue the raiders but were overwhelmed due to the large number of attackers.
The minister called for coordinated efforts with the government of Unity State to ensure that justice is served for the victims of the violent raids.
“We urge the Unity State government to arrest these individuals and ensure the stolen cattle are returned to their rightful owners in Lakes State,” Kerjok said. “The raiders outnumbered our limited forces.”
He emphasized the need for future planning to increase the number of organized forces. In Amongpiny Payam, raiders also stole cattle and injured three people, with the stolen cattle still unrecovered and forces in pursuit.
Kerjok advised cattle owners to protect their herds and ensure young herders remain vigilant, reporting any suspicious activity promptly. He stressed avoiding revenge attacks, urging communication between the governments of Lakes and Unity States to resolve the issue.
“The governors and commissioners should coordinate, and Unity State’s forces must recover the cattle,” he added.
Kerjok confirmed the scale of the raids, noting that two organized forces members and one civilian were injured in Amongpiny Payam, while in Yirol East, four people—some civilians, others men in uniform—were killed. He called on Unity State to control the suspects responsible.
Daniel Laat Kon, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) coordinator in Lakes State, condemned the attacks, describing them as unfortunate and noting reports of Panyijar armed youth heading toward Rumbek North County. He highlighted the recurring nature of these attacks, marking this as the third incident in the area.
“The government must deploy more forces to protect civilians,” Kon said. “Communities along the borders should strengthen their security.” He urged Unity State to intervene to prevent further deterioration of relations between communities in Panyijar, Mayiandit, Rumbek North, Rumbek Central, and Yirol East.
Kon emphasised the importance of maintaining peaceful relations, noting that continued attacks could jeopardise business ties, such as fish and cattle trade between Unity and Lakes State.
He encouraged Lakes State residents to protect innocent Panyijar community members living among them and treat the attacks as isolated incidents. He also called for national government intervention, suspecting the involvement of armed groups and youth gangs.
“We have lost significant resources,” Kon said. “The government must condemn these acts and protect territories and property.”
Efforts to reach the Panyijar County commissioner for comment were unsuccessful as his phone was unreachable.
