Lakes: One dead in Rumbek North clash

July 17, 2013 (RUMBEK) – One person was killed and another injured in clashes between the Gak and Niel-Niel pastoralist communities in Rumbek North county of South Sudan’s Lakes state.

The Tuesday incident was reportedly triggered by disagreements over cattle which the two communities raided from neighbouring Panyijaar county in Unity state.

Peter Makuei Tinyjok, a spokesperson for Rumbek North (Maper) county told Sudan Tribune that the deceased was a 20-year old man from Niel-nhied, while the injured who was from Gak section.

“Gak section and Nhiel-Nhiel section youth fought among themselves after arriving from their revenge attack in Panyijaar County of Unity state. What happened was that both of them came and re-raided cattle, which resulted into exchange of gunfire leaving one person dead from Niel-Niel an one person from Gak wounded,” Tinyjok said Tuesday.

He however added that the situation had normalised after the clash.

The official identified the deceased as Matuon Buom Kuc while the injured as 17-year old Mangany Goom Taat.

In January this year, South Sudan President Salva Kiir appointed a military caretaker governor to replace the elected one, citing growing insecurity concerns in Lakes state in the form of cattle raids, highway road robbery and inter-communal violence.

(ST)