4 women killed in attack in Akobo County

Authorities said at least four women were killed and two others injured on Sunday in an attack by gunmen in Akobo County, Jonglei State.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Puok Nyang Tutjiek, Akobo County Commissioner, said the victims were part of a group of women returning from Ulang County in Upper Nile State, where they had gone fishing.

“On Sunday, a group of women returning from Ulang County were attacked near Buong village. The attackers shot four people and injured two women. These women had gone to a nearby swimming pool in Ulang to fish,” he said. “The attackers were Murle from the neighboring Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) and since Christmas we have witnessed over ten attacks in areas such as Dengjiok, Walgak and Akobo Payam. We condemn these repeated attacks.”

However, Jacob Werchum Jouk, GPAA’s information minister, said they were unaware of the attack.

“We are not aware of the attack and our youth were not involved in any attacks,” he said. “Our youth are in our territories.”

Meanwhile, civil society activist and Executive Director of INTREPID South Sudan (ISS), Bol Deng Bol, has renewed calls for dialogue to resolve sporadic revenge attacks.

“Recently, a group of youths from Jonglei State marched and overtook villages in Pibor, responding to repeated attacks by Murle youths. So these attacks in Jonglei State can also be seen as revenge,” he said. “Our conclusion as civil society is that the leadership does not want to end the killing in Jonglei and GPAA. We urged our government to prioritize dialogue and create a buffer zone, but nothing was done. Therefore, we renew our call for dialogue through action.