SSPDF recovers over 350 guns, 90 herds of cattle in Warrap

JUBA – South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) has announced that a joint security team led by army chief Gen. Santino Deng Wol and the Inspector General of Police Gen. Majak Akec, has received at least 359 AK47, three PKM and 90 herds of cattle that were stolen during the recent violence in Rualbet.

Earlier this month, violence broke out between armed civilians and members of the organized forces in Rualbet Payam of Tonj North in Warrap state resulting in the killing of at least 30 people including 19 members of the organized forces, most of whom are senior army officers.

President Kiir then dispatched his security chiefs to the area to contain the situation which has caused concerns about the government inability to disarm the civil population as sub-national violence has been escalating across the country in recent days.

In a statement, the SSNPS said that the joint security team was able to collect a hundreds of light guns as well as heavy machine guns beside the cattle that were stolen by the armed civilians from Tonj East County of the restive state.

“The high level security committee headed by Chief of Defence forces Gen Santino Deng Wol, Inspector General of police Gen Majak Akec Malok and Director General of Internal security bureau Gen Akol Koor Kuc have today received 359 AK47 rifles, three PKM and 90 herd of cattle that were looted by criminals from Rualbet payam of Tonj North County Warrap state,” the police statement reads in part.

“The guns were voluntarily collected by the Chiefs of the area following their meetings with the Heads of security committee who are currently in Rualbet payam,” it added.

It indicated the “the security committee also distributed food ratios to Internal displaced persons in Rualbet payam whose properties were looted by criminals during conflict between armed civilians and the organized Forces.”