Leer violence: nearly 500 cattle stolen amid bloody clashes  

JUBA – Almost 500 herds of cattle were looted in a fresh spate of attack in Leer County of Unity State, a credible source confirmed.

Some 47 armed youths suspected to be from Mayendit County raided 470 herds of cattle in Guat Village on Sunday at around 2:00 PM when herders try to take their cattle to a grazing land.

The leader of cattle camp in Leer town southern unity Mr. Gattut Chuol confirmed the incident saying 470 cattle were raided by 47-armed youths suspected to be from Rupkuai Payam of Mayendit County.

“470 cattle were raided and taken to Rubnor village where they distributed the cattle. The armed youths came from Mayendit Rupkuai Payam, the raiders got only three boys who were looking after the cattle, they told the boys to go home.” Chuol said as quoted by Juba Echo.

“The violence in southern unity has contributed to cattle raiding, massive killing, and destruction, looting and burning of villages.” Chuol said.

In response to cattle raiding, Mayendit County commissioner Dr Gatluak Nyang said that cattle were raided in Guat village “collectively by unknown armed youths”.

Search launched

Nyang said they were in communication with responsible authorities to ensure the recovery of looted cattle.

“We are in communication with villages leaders about where those cattle were taken and if we find out, we will impose strong measures and we will return back the raided cattle to owners.” Nyang said.

“Those are collective unknown raiders; I don’t know where they are now. Yesterday, Leer armed youths attacked Rupkuai and killed two women and three men and burnt the village to ashes.”

He said there is need for three neighboring counties to organize dialogue to iron out issues driving the conflict and ensure peaceful co-existence in southern unity specially Leer, Mayendit and Koch counties.

“We are in coordination on when to organize peace conference and when we finish, we will invite all media houses.” said Nyang.

When contacted for comments, Koch County Commissioner Gordon Koang Biel claimed that armed youths in county did not participate in the said cattle raiding in Guat village of Leer County.

“I heard about that raiding yesterday, but the cattle ended up between Mayendit and Leer, no single youth of Koch participated in that raiding,” he said.