At least 25 people have been confirmed killed in deadly communal clashes in the oil-rich Ruweng Administrative Area.
The clashes which initially erupted on June 22 until Sunday, followed cattle raiding incident by armed youth from Ruweng Administrative Area in Pan-Akuach payam located in Rubkona County of neighboring Unity State.
Santo Lual Mayuol, Acting Minister for Information in Ruweng Administrative Area, told Juba Echo on Monday the fighting occurred during a handover ceremony of looted cattle in Panakuach payam, which is being disputed by Leek community of Rubkona County and the neighboring community in Aling County of Ruweng.
In retaliation, Leek community attacked on Sunday morning Tor Parieng, Timsos oilfield, Katnar and Hopura village in Ruweng Administrative Area.
Lual disclosed that among the dead included Nyok Mijok Tiop, the Executive Director of Aling County in Ruweng Administrative Area.
He also noted that Greater Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC)- a consortium of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) and Malaysia’s Petronas have evacuated staff to Parieng town in Ruweng Administrative Area due to security fears.
Lual also disclosed that the fighting has displaced Sudanese refugees and returnees who are being hosted in Panakuach payam.
He revealed that the dispute between the two communities had previously been confined to cattle raiding but has of late morphed into a dispute over Panakuach payam.
Lual noted that the situation was still tense as skirmishes continued to take place in the wake of Sunday’s violence.
He called on the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) to de-escalate the tensions between the two rival communities.
William Manyang Mayak, the commander of the SSPDF division four in Unity State, said soldiers have already been deployed to restore calm and order.
“We have already deployed the South Sudan People’s Defense Force to control the situation and to protect civilians from harm,” Manyang said.
