Gov. Lobong, state officials contradict each other on number of people killed during Kapoeta cattle raid

JUBA – The governor of South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state Louis Lobong Lojore and his state officials are now giving contradicting statements as to how many people were killed during recent cattle raid in which armed youth from neighboring Greater Pibor Administrative Area attacked several cattle camps in Eastern Equatoria.

Yesterday, Kapoeta North County Commissioner Emmanuel Epone Lolimo claimed in an interview with The City Review that the number of people killed during the cattle raid last week has risen to at least 235 people with unknown number of people killed.

But according to Chairperson of Toposa Community, Paul Napwon, the number of people killed between June 20^th and July 6 is 21 people only.

For his part, Governor Lobong puts the death toll to 74 with unknown number of people being killed, adding that about 15,000 Toposa cattle were raided and five children abducted by suspected raiders from neighboring GPAA.

Governor Lobong blamed the attack on Tennet, Buya, and Murle communities.

“These two-time coordinated reckless attacks carried out in just a span of two weeks led to the loss of several innocent lives on both sides and 15,000 Toposa cattle were raided,” Lobong said in a statement extended to Sudans Post this morning.

Lobong said the 74 people killed including Buyas and some of the attackers who were wounded in the violence are being treated at a local health facility Nadapal.

“The Government of Easter Equatoria State is in the process of evacuating the wounded and handing them over to Greater Pibor Administrative on humanitarian grounds,” he said

Lobong condemn these attacks in the strongest terms possible and urged the people of Murle, Tennet, and Buya to desist from engaging in these wanton attacks and child abduction in Eastern Equatoria State.

He said another attack from Bor cattle keepers resulted in the killing of two people, before making it away with their properties.