Last week, armed men suspected to have come from the neighboring areas, reportedly attacked Leer, burned villages, looted properties and displaced thousands in several villages.

The conflict which started as an SPLA-IO factional fighting in Mirmir, reportedly took another dimension as armed youth took advantage of the situation to raid and loot.

On Sunday, the commissioner of Leer County said at least 13 thousand households have been displaced to Leer town and Muom training center.

The conflict survivors who spoke to Eye Radio from different remote locations recounted appalling atrocities including killings, rape and the burning of invalids inside shelters.

“What happened yesterday [Saturday] was a very serious rape, I saw 15 girls and 7 women who were raped. They came and burnt huts and killed many people. They even burnt elderly people inside their houses, whether you are blind, deaf or vulnerable, they kill you,” Nyaluak Puok told Eye Radio.

“The problem started the day before yesterday [Friday], civilians have been displaced everywhere into the bushes, in Leer town and Muom training center,” Gatdiet Jal told Eye Radio.

“There is no food, people are staying in terrible conditions. The attackers are armed youth from Mayiandit and Koch. They are not soldiers.

“They have killed many people in places near Muom training center and others were killed while fleeing with their cattle, only that we did not count them. Girls have also been gang raped.

The attackers have really made us suffer, we have been hiding inside the river for three days now without food, and there is nothing left. Girls have been raped,” Jal concluded.

“We have been hiding inside rivers for 3-day with our children. We have been displaced to a place called Meer on the Nile. We have really suffered, there is no food, and all the food in the market has been looted,” Nyadoak Phar.

“People are starving in the swamps, mosquitoes are feeding on us. They (attackers) are killing people, they are killing even children and burning the elderly inside shelters. I don’t know why they are killing us.

“The attackers are very close to us and they are burning and looting everything and they are saying they will be here for seven days. They have raped children who have no doctor to attend to.

“People have been killed everywhere and I am just narrating what I have seen. Even today, a dry swamp with people hiding inside has been burnt,” Nyadoak said.

Stephen Taker Riak, the commissioner of Leer County in Unity State says armed youth from the neighboring areas have burnt down villages, and committed appalling atrocities.

The conflict reportedly started in Mirmir cantonment site when SPLA-IO forces and their breakaway faction known as Kitgwang allegedly fought for the control of the area.

Commissioner Taker says the gunmen who bypassed Leer town, unleashed destruction in villages by torching houses and looting livelihoods.

He urged the state governor and the presidency to initiate a fact finding committee to address the root cause of the incident.

The opposition mainstream, SPLA-IO has been fighting to retake Mirmir cantonment site from the breakaway Kitgwang group which captured the strategic center two month ago.

Last week, the SSPDF spokesperson called on the ceasefire monitoring body CTSAM-VM to investigate the latest flare up of hostilities in and around Mirmir Payam of Unity State.