One killed in Jonglei clan clash amid marriage dispute

BOR – Authorities in Bor, the capital of Jonglei State, have confirmed that one person was shot dead on Wednesday morning following a violent confrontation between members of the Angakuei and Malual clans.

The altercation reportedly stemmed from the elopement of a young woman—an issue that remains a recurring source of tension between the two communities.

Speaking to Sudans Post by phone, Jonglei State Police Spokesperson First Lt. James Akech Mapiou said the violence erupted after members of the Malual clan confronted individuals from the Angakuei community over the whereabouts of the eloped woman.

“The incident happened between Malual and Angakuei at the Angakuei settlement residential [area] where the lady was eloped by a man from Angakuei, which triggered the Malual clan to follow their lady but was said she was not there. This led to exchange of some words,” Akech explained.

“During the exchanges, Malual clan started fighting until one gentleman from Angakuei clan picked a gun and shot one person from the Malual community and ran away,” he added.

According to the police spokesperson, the incident began with verbal altercations that quickly escalated into physical violence, culminating in the fatal shooting. The unidentified suspect fled the scene and remains at large.

Local authorities, alongside community elders, are reportedly working to calm tensions and prevent further escalation between the two clans.

“The police authorities have collected the body of the deceased and they are working hard to de-escalate the tension between the two communities of Angakuei and Malual, the suspect is yet to be brought to book,” Akech stated.

Clashes between clans in Jonglei State are not uncommon and are often driven by longstanding grievances over cattle raids, land ownership, and matrimonial disputes. The latest incident underscores the persistent fragility of inter-communal relations in the region.