Official calls on Panyikang, Ruweng leaders to end war of words

The Commissioner of Fangak County, Biel Boutrus has called on the leaders of Panyikang County and the head of the Ruweng Administrative Area, to solve their feud that was sparked following the killing of seven peace commissioners in Wunkur.

“I am trying to appeal to Panyikang Commissioner and Ruweng Chief Administrator to seek dialogue, and see how we call the national government to deploy unified forces in those areas so that there is no insecurity,” Boutrus said in an interview on Tuesday.

Mustafa Gai, the County Commissioner of Panyikang County is at loggerheads with Stefano Wieu Mialek, the Chief Administrator of Ruweng Administrative in the aftermath of the killing of seven members of the peace commission on July 1, 2023.

Authorities in Ruweng accuse the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in opposition (SPLA-IO) of opening fire on the peace commission team.

 Boutrus said Wunkur is a disputed area between Ruweng Administrative Area and Panyikang County located in Upper Nile state.

He said the Fangak County government is working closely with it’s neighbors to improve security.

“We are trying very much to reconcile with our neighbors and also within so that there is peace, but the biggest challenge is that no unified forces have been deployed, we really request that the national government could listen to us and deploy forces,” Boutrus said.