Clash over land in South Sudan capital leaves 2 dead

By Tapeng Michael Ohure

A clash over land between two communities in the South Sudan capital left at least two people dead.

Fighting between the Atuot community and the Rajaf host community broke out in Gumbo on Saturday.

Several people living in the Don Bosco area of Gumbo had sleepless nights in fear of a possible recurrence of the incident but security forces deployed a buffer to ensure calm.

Daniel Justin Buolo, South Sudan Police Spokesperson told Juba Echo in an interview on Monday that 10 people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Information was still scanty, Buolo said.

A police officer who visited the scene but requested anonymity narrated to Juba Echo on the incident.
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“The incident on Saturday involved the Atuot community members and the host community from Rajaf. The Atuot community came armed, forcing the Bari community living behind Don Bosco compound to vacate their places for them. Then they killed 1 person from the host community by beating him to death,” the officer who preferred anonymity said.
“In revenge, the host community also killed 1 person from them. So, when we went to the scene, we just collected 2 dead bodies from both sides though the armed civilians were still looking at whoever was coming to the area but we police were not given any orders to exchange fire with the armed civilian from Atuot community,” he said.

He confirmed the arrest of people, saying 12 were locked up.

Last Wednesday, 3 people were killed in a gun fire exchange between illegal settlers along the Juba-Bor road and the military officers who were protecting a demolition team from Central Equatoria State in the Mangalla area adjacent to Gumbo residence.