At least 13 killed, 16 wounded in clashes in Lakes State
By Staff Writer
Inter-communal clashes on Saturday in Rumbek East have left 13 people killed and 16 others wounded in Lakes state.
Captain Elijah Mabor Makuach, the police spokesperson in the state revealed that they have deployed soldiers to restore calm following fighting between Gony and Theyieth communities.
“The fighting started at 10:00 A.M leading to 13 people killed and 16 wounded. The situation is now calm following the deployment of security forces,” Makuach told Juba Echo by Phone on Sunday.
He disclosed that these two communities have for a decade been fighting each other. The violence is often characterized by cattle raiding and revenge killings. Lakes state is awash with illegal guns in the hands of the civil population.
Several attempts by state authorities to disarm civilians have ended in futility, leading to casualties on both civilians and soldiers.
“The main challenge facing us in the state is the presence of arms in the hands of civilians, there are arms everywhere in lakes state. Civilians are in possession of arms in villages and cattle camps,” said Makuach.
President Salva Kiir last week appointed former head of military intelligence Rin Tueny Mabor as governor of Lakes state replacing Makur Kulang, following rise in communal violence and armed attacks on aid workers.
