49 Killed In South Sudan Cattle Raid

At least 49 people were killed and 33 wounded in South Sudan after armed cattle raiders attacked a community of herders in neighbouring Warrap State, officials said.

The attack took place at about 5am on Thursday in Tonj North County, when armed men raided a cattle herders’ camp, Warrap State Information Minister William Wol Mayom Bol said. He described the incident as a “brutal attack” and called for restraint as authorities from both states work together to identify those responsible.

Unity State Information Minister Nyakenya Johannes told Reuters that the attackers were not all from Unity State, but said officials were working to promote peaceful coexistence between communities in the two regions.

Inter-communal violence is common in South Sudan, where competing groups of herders frequently clash over scarce grazing land and water for livestock. The widespread availability of firearms among civilians has also intensified the violence.

The latest killings come as South Sudan prepares for a presidential election scheduled for December, which would be the country’s first since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011.

SOURCE: Reuters