August 15th 2018 (Nyamilepedia) – At least 23 people have been killed and 52 others injured during fresh inter-communal fighting South Sudan’s town of Tonj, in Warrap State, President Salva Kiir’s home-state over the weekend, several sources told the Nyamilepedia.
The violence started on Friday after four local pastoralists from a rival Dinka clan were killed during a foiled cattle raid, Tonj State Minister of Information James Ayiik Dak said from Tonj.
Dak said the community of the slain herders launched a counter attack on a neighboring community which they suspected to have carried out the failed raid, leading to scores of causalities.
He said calm has since returned to the region after a joint military force made of army soldiers and police was deployed.
“After the clashes ended on Aug. 11, we confirmed a total of 23 people dead and 52 wounded from both sides,” he said adding that “Calm has returned to the area and there is no major security threat.”
For decades, livestock-related violence has been a major challenge among pastoralists communities in South Sudan as thousands of people are estimated to have been killed in violent cattle raids.
