Unity State, South Sudan
December 8, 2021—Authorities in Unity State are saying calmness has finally returned to Mayiendit and Leer counties after clashes that have costed lives between two communities.
In a statement seen by Nyamilepedia, Mr. Gabriel Hon Makuei, the Minister of Information and Communication in South Sudan’s Unity State says the situation has returned to normalcy despite the last week incident that took lives of more than 15 people.
“Calm has finally returned to Leer and Mayiendit counties of Unity State after last week’s deadly clashes that claimed at least 20 lives” Makuei told reporters yesterday.
Last week ,a group of armed youth from Leer county engaged in fighting with Mayiendit cattle traders after a misunderstanding at a border cattle market, and about 20 people lost their lives while an unknown number of people were severely injured.
On Friday, at least six people had been confirmed dead and about nine houses torched in Leer County.
According to Minister Gabriel Hon Makuei Bol, the number of deaths and those injured had risen but the exact number has not been confirmed.
“There is no government intervention because the area is inaccessible. They alone by themselves, have stopped fighting. It is true people are talking about 15, 20, and 25 people killed”,Information Minister Makuei told reporters on Tuesday.
The top state official said they lack a line of communication between the warring parties and the local authorities in the counties, and therefore, they couldn’t confirm the exact number of casaulties.
“So, it is difficult but the casualties are approximately 20-25 people.”, he said.
He said it is not easy to establish the number of those injured from both sides as they are not in one place and each party took their wounded from the scene of the clashes.
Makuei emphasized that the wounded are currently receiving medical assistance in primary health care centers in the two sisterly counties.
The clashes between the two neighboring communities was reportedly caused by a misunderstanding over taxation across their border of which each of them claims authority to collect taxes whenever deemed necessary.
