13 die at cattle camp raid in Central Equatoria state

March 20, 2016 (JUBA) – At least 13 people were killed in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state after raid on a Dinka Bor cattle camp, relatives and local officials said.

“Heavily armed men, speaking local Bari dialect, attacked the cattle camp at around 7 o’clock on Friday and shot using automatic rifles indiscriminately killing six children on spot,” John Ayor, a cattle keeper in Lobonok told Sudan Tribune.

Accordinf to Ayor, six children, two women and two men died as a result of gunfire.

Three men were also killed in an attack on a different camp along Juba – Bor road on Thursday, bringing to 13 the total of death related to the attack on Dinka Bor cattle camp.

Another cattle keeper was singled out of a bus near Juba on Nimule road Friday evening and shot dead. Other passengers were allowed to continue with their journey, but it remains unclear if that attack is linked to cattle camp raid. The deceased, whose name has not been identified, comes from Anyidi Payam, Bor county of Jonglei state.

In January, the governors of newly-created Jubek and Jonglei states agreed that cattle keepers from Jonglei have to be repatriated back home to Bor following deadly clashes over grazing and farming land. But the order seems to have failed, as pastoralists insisted that Bor remains unsafe due to insecurity and cattle disease.

Farmers are demanding exit of the pastoralists, accusing them of interfering with their farms.

Officials from Jubek also confirmed the attack on Sunday when contacted, but declined to provide further details. Jonglei state government officials said they are coordinating with counterparts in Jubek to deescalate the current tension and avoid any revenge.

(ST)