3 killed, 7 injured after cattle raid in Ruweng

PANRIENG/BENTIU – Armed youth from Unity State attacked a cattle camp and a military garrison in Ruweng Administrative Area late Wednesday, killing three people and injuring seven others, a local official said on Thursday.

Simon Chol, Ruweng’s Minister of Information, told Sudans Post in an interview that the raid took place in Athoony Payam on the night of April 23, when gunmen launched a coordinated assault on Athoony Cattle Camp and a garrison belonging to the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF).

“They made away with more than 5,000 head of cattle, but around 4,548 were recovered with the help of local youth and organized forces,” Chol said.

The minister said two people were killed at the scene and a third died later from injuries sustained in the attack. Seven others were wounded, with two in critical condition airlifted to Juba for treatment.

Chol rejected claims made by Unity State authorities that all raided cattle were recovered and handed back through coordination with county commissioners.

“That report is false,” he said. “All the cattle were recovered by our youth with the support of the 4th Infantry Division of the SSPDF.”

The Ruweng government condemned the incident, describing it as “barbaric” and called on Unity State authorities to assist in recovering any remaining stolen livestock and holding the perpetrators accountable.

“The government of Ruweng Administrative Area condemns this barbaric attack in the strongest terms and urges an immediate end to these acts of violence,” Chol said.

Meanwhile the Unity State Minister of Information, Gatwech Bipal Both, denied the scale of the attack when contacted by Sudans Post and said only 388 cattle were recovered and returned to their owners.

“There’s nothing like 5,000 cattle being raided. The Unity State government intercepted just over 300 cows and returned them,” Bipal told Sudans Post. “It’s unfortunate and uncalled for that such misinformation is being spread.”

Cattle raids remain a recurring cause of conflict between communities in Unity State and Ruweng, fueling intercommunal tensions and prompting calls for renewed dialogue and stronger cooperation between local authorities.