Murle youth launch counter attack in Uror County in Jonglei state

January 11, 2012 (PAYUEL) – The cycle of violence in Jonglei state of South Sudan has continued today with youth from the ethnic Murle community launching a counter attack on Uror County, burning down villages, in which many people died, according to a local official

According to one of the local administrators of Wek Boma, Tip Chuol, the attackers were heavily armed and overran the villages, rustling a large number of cattle in a round of fighting that continued until midnight.

Lots of women and children are reported to be dead but there is no exact death toll, Chuol said.

The affected area is just about 10 km from the Pajuk, an area visited by a Sudan Tribune journalist just 2 hours before the attack took place.

Flames from the burning houses were seen and lots of gun shots heard by Pajut residents this morning, according to a local radio station in Mareng, the headquarters of Duk county administration.

Around 60,000 have been displaced by the violence between the Murle and Lou Nuer, which began on 23 December and lasted until last week, the United Nations has reported.

Pibor County’s Commissioner Konyi has estimated that over 3,000 people have died in the violence, but this has not been independently verified.

(ST)