Juba, South Sudan,
Sunday, May 16th, 2021 — Latest reports from Abyei confirmed that an attack in the eastern part of the contested region has left at least 12 people dead and 7 others wounded today, May 16, 2021.
According to a press statement extended to Nyamilepedia through the office of Hon. Kom Manyiet Malok, the Deputy Chief Administrator of Abyei, the attacked was launched on Dungoub village in Eastern Abyei by a group of militias that are believed to be backed by the Sudanese armed forces.
The DCA has confirmed that the Messiriya armed militia, believed to be sponsored by Sudan Arm forces based in Kee/Diffra, have killed twelve innocent civilians and left almost a dozen others nursing wounds in critical conditions.
Hon. Manyiet stressed that the Messiriya militia group carried out what he describes as an “atrocious attack” also on Friday, May 14th, 2021 in the same village where they killed an old man of age 75-year old whose name was identified as Manoun Akot Manoun from Warap State and wounded another 65-year old man identified as Wud Bol Malek from Abyei Area in Wunamend, West of Abyei town.
While extending his condolences to families of the victims, Hon. Manyiet condemned the incidents in the strongest terms possible and called on the United Nations Interim Security Forces in Abyei (UNISFA) to apprehend all criminals and suspects behind those atrocities so that they face justice.
“Abyei Administration and the entire people of Abyei condemn the brutal, barbaric and cowardice attacks on innocent people in their residential area” Hon. Manyiet said.
“Therefore, we urge UNISFA to arrest all perpetrators and suspects involved in committing this atrocities against innocent civilians to be immediately brought to book” he continued.
According to Manyiet, the UNISFA was reliably informed in time but they delayed to only arrive two hours after the militias have done enough destruction and left the area.
“Although UNISFA have the information about the movement of armed group within the box, they arrived to Dungoub village after the two (2) hours of the incident” , Hon. Manyiet stated.
Abyei is a disputed area contested by Northern Sudanese and Southern Sudanese for many decades.
It is inhabited by two major tribes, Ngok Dinka from Northern part of Bhar el Ghazal in South Sudan and Messiriya Nomads from Kordofan in Sudan.
The two tribes have been historically engaging in wars over land issue and resettlement rights; however, both countries have done very little to resolve the root causes of their disputes.
