Guns held in the air. (-)

Fresh armed attacks in Abyei Administrative Area have claimed 15 lives and left four others abducted on Saturday and Sunday, the region’s information minister said.

Bolis Kuch said the first incident happened on 3^rd February in Rum-Ameer County where one person was killed, and one more taken captive by gunmen.

Minister Kuch said the second incident occurred on Sunday morning in Mijak County, leaving 14 people dead and three charcoal burners abducted.

The official reported that some of the victims were burnt inside their houses.

He said further attacks were launched in Aleel County and Machbong where markets and houses were burned into ashes.

He gave this statement in an interview with Eye Radio on Sunday.

“An attack in Rum-ameer county happened at 10:30 am on Saturday, where one was kille and another abducted. At 3:pm in Mijak County, 3 people were abducted in the bush because they were burning charcoal, 2 men and 1 woman.”

“Today (Sunday) in the morning, at 2 am in Mijak County, an attack took many lives; 14 people were killed, houses were completely burned with people inside. The other attack was in Aleel county where 3 women and 1 man were killed and three houses were burned, the third attack was in Machbong area there was no causalities. But a market was completely burned.”

Minister Kuch said he suspects that the assailants are armed men from Warrap State and a militia group led by spiritual leader Gai Machiek.

When contacted by Eye Radio, Warrap State Information Minister denied that local youth were behind the deadly violence in the border region.

William Wol Mayom, however, argues that the incident might have been carried out by alleged criminals between Abyei and Twic County.

“The youths from Twic county of Warrap State were not part and partial of the recent attacks that are reported,” he said.

“However, we are also suspicious on the buildup of criminals between Abyei Administrative Area and Twic. We are also appealing for a general attention from both leaderships of Warrap and Abyei Administrative area.”