Jonglei: Seven killed, two wounded in Duk county raid
December 29, 2012 (BOR) – Seven people have been killed and two wounded in a raid in Mareng, the Duk county headquarters, Phillip Thon Leek, the area member of parliament told Sudan Tribune on Saturday.
The attack, which took place on Friday, is suspected to have been carried out by Murle raiders loyal to rebel leader David Yau Yau. Over 180 cows, according to Thon, were stolen during the raid.
Yau Yau rebelled against South Sudan’s ruling party (SPLM) after elections – in April 2010 when, as an independent candidate, he lost his bid to represent the Gumuruk–Boma constituency in Pibor county at the Jonglei State Assembly.
Juba accuses Khartoum of supporting Yau Yau, a claim Khartoum repeatedly denies.
Thon, an ex-Governor of South Sudan’s Jonglei state, said he was in close contact with the County Commissioner since the attack occurred, adding that the army and youth in the area are still perusing the raiders in an attempt to recover the stolen cattle.
Among the people killed, two were from Pan-Lual, two from Pathel and one from Duor areas of Duk while two are yet to be identified, the lawmaker said.
He however said he believes the two unidentified bodies were “probably from Athoon” of Duk.
“He [commissioner] hinted to me that the those pursuing fell into a Murle ambush and three persons are feared to have been killed,” Thon, who represents Duk in the National Legislative Assembly.
“This attacking rebel force must have been a well organised, formidable one given their tactics in countering the pursuers,“ he added.
This month alone, Mareng has witnessed seven similar incidences related to cattle raid, John Tiop Lul, one of the youth leaders in Duk, told Sudan Tribune.
Attempts to reach the commissioner of Duk were unsuccessful.
Jonglei has long been subject to cattle rustling violence. A proliferation of small arms in the wake of more than two decades of civil war and mass migration after South Sudan’s secession has made cattle rustling more prolific and bloody.
(ST)