By Yien Gattuor

At least two armed youths were arrested over last month’s fighting between them and the  SPLA-IO that led to several deaths in Panyijar County.

Speaking to The City Review, Panyijar County Commissioner, Gabriel Magok Bol said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday in connection to the deaths of the people.

“The list that we have is the list of 12 people who are involved in the cattle raiding in Lakes State and they also have been involved in the past in the fighting between forces of SPLA-IO and the armed youth,” Bol said.

“Two civilians who created the insecurity between Lakes State and Panyijar County are now under detention at the police station in Panyinar headquarters.”

They said are looking for the other 10 suspects and once they are arrested they will commence investigations immediately.

In November, fierce fighting broke out between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and local armed youth in Panyijiar County of Unity State, resulting in at least six deaths, sources said.

Panyijiar, one of the seven counties of Unity State bordering Lakes State, has witnessed intercommunal conflict mostly connected to banditry.

Eyewitnesses and senior government officials told Sudans Post that the clashes began at Pacheingjok when the heavily armed youth resisted local government efforts to recover cattle reportedly stolen from Lakes State several months ago.

According to sources and some authorities that spoke to the media, the chaos erupted after the SPLA-IO moved to retrieve stolen livestock.  

“I am speaking to you from the county, and the fighting had stopped, but it has resumed now. The issue is that the youth had stolen cows from Lakes State, and when the county commissioner and the SPLA-IO soldiers tried to recover the cattle, the youth became hostile,” a government official revealed to Sudan Post.

“The local government under the leadership of commissioner Gabriel Majok Bol attempted to go and return the cattle by force, and this led to the outbreak of fighting between the two sides with a big number of people killed,” the source added.