Nine shot dead by armed men in South Sudan’s Jonglei State

Mar 6, 2006 (YUAI) — Nine people were shot dead and eight others wounded, when a group of armed civilians, suspected to be cattle raiders, attacked the Yuai area of Jonglei State last week.

Speaking to Sudan Radio Service (SRS) on phone from Yuai last Friday, the area’s Member of Parliament, Gatkuoth Dak, said the attack took place at a watering point. Mister Dak said SPLA soldiers are now pursuing the attackers.

Meanwhile, at the end of a reconciliatory meeting in Yuai last week, Vice-President of Southern Sudan Government, Riek Machar, said that Jonglei State authorities suspected to have forcefully disarmed civilians in the area a month ago — without the knowledge of the government — will be investigated and brought before the law.

Last week Machar took the remains of former White Army founder, Colonel Wutnyang Gatkek, who died in the recent conflict in Yuai, to be given a burial in his home village in Fangak

(SRS/ST)