Dinka Bor youth rescue abducted child in Jonglei state

April 21, 2017(BOR) – A four year old child, suspected to be a Lou Nuer, was rescued by Dinka Bor youth patrolling Gadiang area.

A group of abductors, believed to be from Murle ethnic tribe who abducted four children from unknown location exchanged gunfire with Jonglei state youth, in which one person from among the Dinka youth was killed before the boy was rescued, a youth leader, said.

“Yesterday, at 11AM, criminals from Boma state came, moving with four children, they [were] found by Gelbai youth fighters in the bush when the youth were patrolling, the criminals from Boma state started shooting, they killed one person from our youth,” Guet Ayuen, a spokesperson for the youth told Sudan Tribune.

He added, “There was fighting, they left one child from the four children they were carrying and ran away with three other children”.

The child, who could not be understand because of language barrier reportedly spoke Nuer, but the group suspected him and the rest of the other children to be from one of the Lou Nuer areas.

The rescued child will reportedly be handed over to the Twic East commissioner, who will then take him to Jonglei state government.

“The boy was speaking in Nuer language, we confirmed that the child is from Nuer, but we don’t know the location where they brought that child. We need to handover this child to authorities in Twic East Counties, the commissioners will hand him over to authorities in Jonglei state,” further said Ayuen.

The movement of Murle ethnic tribesmen within the Jonglei state borders has reportedly increased and there are fears more abductions could occur in the coming days. The second deadline given for the Boma state youth and government to return children and heads of cattle taken in the past, expires on 21 April.

(ST)