Suspected tribal militia kills nine people in Aweil

Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State authorities have revealed that nine people have been killed by a group of armed Sudanese Messeriya in Aweil East County.

Kiir Yol Lual, area commissioner, said a family has lost five people in the December 31 incident.

“Aweil East is bordering Western Kordofan and the tribe near us is Messeriya. Usually, at the beginning of the year, we always have problems with them, especially at the beginning of the dry season. We always have problems with them like the killing of people,” he said

Over the years, the border pastoralist communities have fought over grazing areas and water sources.

However, during a conference held in Aweil town in February last year, the Dinka Malual and Messeriya agreed to live in peace.

The conference resolved to maintain peace, monitor crimes, and pay blood compensation for murder cases.

Yol said they were surprised by the recent series of attacks and demanded to know the motive behind them.

“In this time we are surprised because the killings have increased, and we don’t know the motive behind the killings.

“I was personally at the scene of the incident and talked to the community to establish the cause of the attack. There was no cause; there was no provocation. It was just an attack on our people. So that’s what happened.”

The county commissioner said despite the attacks, the state government was in good relations with the government of Sudan.

 “Even the Sudanese army in the border and our army are (living) peaceful and would cooperate to establish the cause of the latest attack,” Yol stated.

However, he said the Messeriya are acting contrary to the cooperation agreement signed between the two countries.