Jonglei’s Duk county paramount chief rescued

March 2, 2014 (JUBA) – A group of youth on Saturday rescued the paramount chief of Duk county in South Sudan’s Jonglei state, whom rebels had detained last week.

“The chief is now in Poktap, another payam in Duk. He was not hurt,” said the MP.

The paramount chief, Leek earlier said, was arrested and detained on Wednesday by rebels who overran several payams in the county, located about 200km north of Jonglei’s capital, Bor.

“They abducted him in front of his children in Duk Payuel,” the MP told Sudan Tribune Friday, adding the paramount chief’s arrest could have been linked to his failure to support the rebels.

Duk county authorities have accuse rebels of attacking villages earlier this week after allegedly being repulsed away by government forces from Gadiang, a military base in Jonglei.

Rebel spokesman, Lul Ruai Koang, however, accused the government forces of targeting Duk county civilians, though this has being refuted by the county authorities.

Duk county commissioner Elijah Mocnom said Thursday that Payuel, Patuonoi, Ager, Padiet and Mareng payams had been overrun by anti-government forces this week.

(ST)