Nine people killed in fresh attack in Akobo County

At least nine people were killed in separate attacks in Dengjok Payam in Akobo County in Jonglei State on Thursday.

The attack is said to have been carried out by some suspected criminals from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) on Thursday morning, where two of the assailants also lost their lives.

Also, one from Akobo sustained a gunshot wound in the stomach.

The Police Commissioner in Jonglei State, Joseph Mayen Akoon, said one person from Akobo County who was in critical condition has been rushed to an area health facility.

He said the attackers were successfully repulsed.

“There are two from the side of the criminals who were killed, and one of the residents in Jonglei was hit in the stomach and the bullet did not come out, so his situation was very serious yesterday,” Akoon said.

He added that the incident happened after seven students were killed on their way from Akobo East to Akobo West.

“Before yesterday (Thursday), seven people were killed along the road, in a place called Wichbat, but the network is also very poor in those areas,’’ he concluded.

Committed to peace

The youth of Akobo County on Thursday released a letter condemning the killing of the students. Wal Makuash Wiu said they were still committed to the Pieri treaty despite serial killings in Dengjok Payam.

“The killing of noble students violated the Pieri treaty, which was signed by the state of Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA). Therefore, the Lou Nuer youth in Juba and back home still hold on to the peace agreement. “

He called on the Jonglei State government and the national government to intervene to contain the situation.

Records of insecurity

Jonglei state and Pibor have been blaming one another for the continuous revenge killings on both sides.

On Wednesday, The City Review reported that the death toll from the ongoing Jonglei and Pibor revenge killings had risen to 11.

This was after seven traders were killed in Bor town by angry youth from Anyidi, whose members of the community were murdered in Anyidi by unknown armed men.

A day later, two more traders from Jonglei State—one pharmacist and another trader—were killed between Gumuruk and Machabol in retaliation.

“We have lost two people. Their killing was between Gumruok and Machabol. And they belong to Bor,’’ said the police commissioner in Jonglei State, Mayen Akoon.

He added that the law enforcers were up to the task of maintaining security.

“We are mandated to protect the lives of innocent civilians and to investigate crimes. I hope the incident that happened here will never happen again.”

Mayen called on the citizens of Bor not to take the law into their own hands by killing innocent civilians.

Call for peace

“We urge our citizens that when anything happens, they should not take the law into their own hands to take the lives of innocent civilians. There are security problems in Jonglei, and the government is trying its best to bring these people together so that peace prevails. “

The governor of Jonglei State ordered an investigation into the killing of the seven traders in Bor and ordered Bor chiefs to discourage anything that could prejudice peace between Jonglei and GPAA. However, more attacks followed.

Killings only in bushes

The Deputy Chief Administrator of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area earlier said that they were committed to pursuing peace.

 “GPAA youth call on the GPAA government, and Jonglei State government to intervene in the current situation,” the statement from GPAA youth read in part.

NGO workers evacuated

The Executive Director of Intrepid South Sudan, who doubles as an activist, Bol Deng Bol, earlier said that most of the aid agencies had evacuated their workers in Greater Pibor Administrative Area to safer places.

Bol, earlier, said his organisation had recorded 20 incidences of ambushes, child abductions, cattle raids, and traces of intruders in Jonglei State within November alone.

He said fear has engulfed the whole area as they are not aware of where the attack could start from, calling on security to beef up night patrols.

The activist called on Chagor to respond to the call for peace from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area Chief Administrator, Lokole Amee.

“Please respond to the call of your counterpart, Lokole Amee, the Chief Administrator of GPAA. He believes that the resolutions of the recent peace negotiations in Jonglei can mitigate the insecurity surge between GPAA and JS, ” he said.