S. Sudan says 32 abducted Ethiopian children rescued
By Tesfa-Alem Tekle
May 2, 2016 (ADDIS ABABA) – Authorities in South Sudan said they have recovered 32 of the over 100 Ethiopian children who were kidnapped in a cross-border raid last month by a south Sudanese militia group.
The armed men numbered in hundreds opened fire on civilians and killed over 200 and wounded at least 75 others.
The wounded are currently receiving medical and surgical care at a hospital supported by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) at the region.
More over; the assailants have also kidnapped over 100 children and took some 2,000 cattle.
Ogato Chan, acting governor of South Sudan’s Boma state told the Associated Press on the weekend that local chiefs collected 32 children from three villages in Likuangole County where the raiders had dropped them off.
Chan said the recovered children will be brought to state capital Pibor then sent to Juba to be repatriated to Ethiopia.
“The chiefs are looking for the rest of the children,” he said.
The Ethiopian government has not yet made any statement with regard to the reported release of the children.
When asked, Gambela regional president Gatluak Tut said he has no knowledge over the reports.
Sudan Tribune’s repeated attempts Monday to reach Ethiopia government communication affairs Minister, Getachew Reda for comments were unsuccessful.
Ethiopian Premier Hailemariam Desalegn who deplored the attackers as “primitive and destructive forces” said the Murle gunmen were not affiliated to either South Sudan government or the armed opposition group (SPLM-IO).
Ethiopian defence forces are currently inside south Sudan where they are carrying out military operation to rescue the children.
Officials in Gambela told Sudan Tribune that, the fierce cross-border attacks have also forced some 22,000 Ethiopians away from their villages.
While commending the positive role of host communities in sharing their meager resources with the IDPs, UNHCR has appealed for the continuation of the peaceful co-existence between refugees and host communities.
The UN refugee agency has also appealed to the international community for additional support and resources for both refugees and host communities in Ethiopia.
South Sudan’s Murle and Ethiopia’s Nuer and Anyuak tribes who live along the common border line frequently engage in a cross-border cattle raids and child abductions.
Gambella region is a shelter for more than 280,000 South Sudanese refugees who fled conflict in their home country that broke out in December 2013.
(ST)