Over 10 people killed in Lakes state tribal clashes

December 1, 2015 (RUMBEK) – At least 19 people were reportedly killed in tribal clashes between the Aliap and Gony clans of Rumbek East county in South Sudan’s Lakes state.

A senior Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer confirmed the clashes, but said government was prepared to restore calm in the area.

Clashes erupted when a soldier killed a person from the Aliap section under unclear circumstances, prompting a revenge targeting those from the Gony section of the state.

“It was a misunderstanding between the two sections. A person from Aliap was killed by a person in military uniform. So the Aliap section suspected the Gony and they started attacking the Aliap killing 16 people. All in all 19 people were confirmed dead,” said the CID officer, who spoke to Sudan Tribune on condition of anonymity Monday.

The state government has, however, not officially commented on the deadly clash.

Lakes state has been locked into a cycle of revenge killings, with activists, traditional authorities and intellectuals calling for the removal of the caretaker governor Maj-Gen Matur Chut Dhuol whom they accuse to having allegedly failed to quell down insecurity.

(ST)