UNPOL Officer trains Kapoeta East crime investigators in controlling cattle related conflicts. (Photo/UNMISS).

Crime investigators of the South Sudan National Police Service in Kapoeta East county, of Eastern Equatoria State have been trained on mitigating transhumance and livestock-related crimes in the area.

The local police investigators were equipped by UN Police with skills a month after armed youths attacked the area, leading to the death of over 30 people, and abduction of women and children.

UNMISS said in a statement seasonal cross-border livestock movements have resulted in rising crimes such as cattle rustling, abductions and revenge killings.

The Mission said such cases are not often fully investigated and perpetrators are not held accountable.

To bridge this gap, UN Police officers facilitated a two-day workshop to enhance capacities of local policing counterparts in mitigating such crimes.

The training involves interactive sessions focused on how to track, recover and return raided livestock to their rightful owners; bringing perpetrators to justice; and vitally, controlling cross border movement of cattle.

The head of UNMISS specialist anti-cattle raid unit in the area, Abubakar Musibo, said cattle rustling and revenge attacks have led to great suffering for the border communities.

“We designed this training to touch upon theoretical and practical aspects—including established protocols—of reducing conflict during transhumance,” Musibo said in a UNMISS statement.

“What’s more, we factored in the need to manage cross-border crime so that it is relevant beyond South Sudan.”

For his part, Krasimiro Okomos, an Inspector with the South Sudan National Police Service in Kapoeta, urged participating officers to be proactive in ensuring such crimes are prevented.

UNMISS said similar sensitizations are planned in counties which have suffered from livestock-related violence.

In April 2024, Eastern Equatoria Governor Louis Lobong said thousands of Pibor gunmen stormed cattle kraals at Kauto in Kapoeta East, where they also raided unspecified number of cattle.

The Greater Pibor administrative government condemned the attack by its armed youth and expressed disappointment over the “wrong decision.”