Abiemnhom County Commissioner said tensions escalated on Tuesday after four people from Abiemnhom were killed by armed youth from Mayom in a cattle-related incident at around 4 p.m.
By James Chatim and Yien Gattuor
he commissioner of Abiemnhom County in the Ruweng Administrative Area, Mario Deng Ayot, said the armed youth from Mayom County of Unity State have seized control of Abiemnhom town.
Deng said the armed youth captured the town from the authorities in an attack that began on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
“Last night (Tuesday), the armed youth from Mayom County mobilized to attack the area, and this morning (Wednesday), they conducted the attacks on the county headquarters. They captured it and displaced several people. Those killed or injured have not yet been identified by the authorities,” he said.
The commissioner said tensions escalated on Tuesday after four people from Abiemnhom were killed by armed youth from Mayom in a cattle-related incident at around 4 p.m.
“This morning, they attacked the county headquarters and attacked people. Some houses have been burned. As I speak to you now, I am in the bush after fleeing from the county headquarters,” he added.
The commissioner said the attackers arrived in large numbers, forcing civilians to flee.
“Now I don’t know how many people have been killed in the fighting this morning because fighting is still ongoing. When fighting stops, that is when I can confirm the number of casualties,” Deng said.
“The town was captured at 7:30 a.m., and I had informed the Ruweng Chief Administrator to relay the situation to Unity State governor.”
Several attempts to reach Mayom County authorities for comment were futile by press time.
Simon Chol Malieth, the Minister of Information for the Ruweng Administrative Area, has also confirmed the incident, saying the County headquarters of Biemnom on Tuesday and Wednesday came under attack from armed civilians in the neighbouring Mayom County of Unity State.
“We suspect the youth responsible for the attack are from Mayom County of Unity State but both the Ruweng Administrative Area and Unity State authorities are working to address the situation,” he said.
Minister Chol said he was still in communication with the people of Biemnom to get more details of the casualties.
In a statement released on Wednesday (yesterday) evening by the Ruweng Biemnom Community in Juba, signed by the group’s Secretary of Information Arop Jongchol Kat, the community condemned the killings, and called for government intervention.
“Ruweng Biemnom Community strongly condemns the brutal killing of 22 souls who lost their lives following the attack by Mayom County militia, on Tuesday evening and today (Wednesday) morning,” the statement read in part.
Meanwhile, Ter Manyang Gatwech, the Executive Director of the Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA), strongly condemned the attack allegedly launched by armed youth from Mayom County.
He said such action undermines the peace and social cohesion among the people of Unity State and the Ruweng Administrative Area.
“I strongly condemn the attack by Mayom youth on Abiemnom County in the Ruweng Administrative. Such actions undermine the peace and social cohesion among the people of Unity State and the Ruweng Administrative Area,” Ter stated.
“I urge the Governor of Unity State to hold those responsible for these illegal actions accountable. The destruction of property and loss of life cannot be justified by the youth.”
The activist urged the relevant authorities to ensure that justice is served in accordance with the rule of law.
“As a nation that has long embraced diversity, we will not tolerate actions that threaten the peaceful and respectful way of life we have nurtured over generations.”