Map of Pibor Administrative Area. (Courtesy).

An attack on wildlife barrack in Jebel Boma County of Pibor Administrative Area reportedly killed at least nine people on Saturday, local authorities said.

The incident which occurred in the early morning hours at Nyath Payam also wounded 11 civilians.

Abraham Kelang Jiji, the Information Minister of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area says about 100 households were burnt down by the attackers.

“Yesterday, the attack happened in Nyath Payam in Jebel Boma County. The attackers launched an offensive in the wildlife barrack and casualties 9 killed,” Kelang said.

The official said the victims include two women and three children.

“One hundred houses were burnt down during the conflict in Nyath Payam and 500 individuals were displaced from Nyath- Jebel Boma County headquarter,” he said further.

The attack occurred at close proximity with Boma National Park, the largest natural reserve in South Sudan, and also the largest in Africa.

The administrative information minister said the attackers are suspected to have come from neighboring Ethiopia.

“We have identified the attackers and they are Ethiopian citizens, which is Anyuak from Gambella region. The evidence we have seen yesterday from the dead bodies is that they were wearing Ethiopian uniforms and some of them have nationalities from Ethiopia.”

Meanwhile, Zuagin Ratho a member of the national parliament representing Pibor revealed that the Ethiopian authorities have closed the border with Pibor due to the attacks.

He also calls on the national government to deploy troops to the conflict-affected areas in Pibor.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Sunday, January 15, he said the reopening of the border will encourage the return of refugees to their respective areas of origin.

“Our refugees are suffering always those people are attacking always and inside the refugee camps. They want to come back but the border is closed by the Ethiopian Government,” Zuagin said.

‘So we want our government to open the road so that our people can come back to their respective areas.”

The Ethiopian government was not immediately reachable for comment on the matter.