SPLA kill 5 cattle raiders in Jonglei’s Duk Duk
By Philip Thon Aleu
October 19, 2008 (BOR TOWN) — At least five cattle raiders have been killed, seven wounded and one captured in Duk County by Sudan’s People Liberation Army (SPLA) following cattle theft by “criminals” identified as citizens of Twic East County’s Payam of Maar over week ago.
The Friday October 10 incident, the first of it kind in history, has been widely condemned as fear ranges that Greater Bor Counties are falling apart. The 86 raiders allegedly “missed the planned route” and take Duk cattle camp as the last resort.
Raiding has been frequent in recent months despite government calls for peace negotiations and peaceful disarmament. However, inter-clan wrangling has been low but Maar Payam has set a new record, Duk relatives in Bor say.
The SPLA engaged the inexperienced raiders in guns fire for minutes and instantly recovered all cattle, killing some and captured one.
The commissioner of the overwhelmingly shocked Duk County Mayen Ngor refused to make any comment when contacted on Wednesday in Jonglei capital Bor. Sources close to Duk chief say he has been under tense as to what decision to take.
Duk County suffered heavy attacks in May and August, 2008 from Uror County from the North and never expected any assaults all from the South. Heavy dowry and cattle prestige have been greatly attributed to instigating insecurity.
To reduce cattle raiding and child abduction, SPLA has been deployed at boundaries of communities in State where history of attacks trend has been greatly respected.
(ST)