Armed youth in a cattle camp near Rumbek, Lakes State | File photo

An official in Lakes State has called for immediate forceful disarmament in the area to end the cycle of violence there.

Despite collection of over a thousand firearms in the area recently, there have been reports of increased communal conflict.

Local officials say it is mainly fueled by revenge attacks, cattle raiding, and land disputes.

The Human Rights Commission say the nature of the intercommunal conflicts has taken on an increasingly militarized character with military-style tactics and military-grade weapons.

Just this week, the number of people killed fighting in Cueibet County rose to 11.

It was triggered by killing of a woman in a night robbery in an area called Agang-rial on Monday.

Such attacks have persisted despite an ongoing peaceful disarmament exercise declared by President Salva Kiir in August.

However, the former Secretary-General of the defunct Gok State says the exercise has not been effective in reducing the level of violence.

Santino Ater Amon argues that the peaceful disarmament operations currently led by chiefs and local leaders has failed.

“When they heard disarmament is taking place, they resorted to more violence. They want to avenge before their guns are taken from them,” Ater told Eye Radio on Thursday.

“So, the best option is that forceful disarmament takes place immediately.”

In response, the SSPDF Spokesperson, Maj.-Gen. Lul Ruai, acknowledged that the situation is still volatile.

“It is sad that the inter-communal clashes are getting brutal day by day to an extent that even women are being killed in a revenge attack,” Maj.-Gen. Ruai stated.

He said the army will use both peaceful and forceful means, if necessary, to disarm the civilians.

“It is a matter of time before we succeed in collection of arms, whether through the voluntary process or forceful disarmament,” he added.

The UN Mission in South Sudan reports that revenge attacks and cattle-related killings remain the biggest insecurity challenges after political violence subsided in the country following the signing of the revitalized peace agreement.