Simon Kun, one of Jikany community leaders and former governor of Upper Nile State/Chrles Wote/Eye Radio

The leaders of Padang and Jikany communities in Upper Nile are calling for calm after two attacks left at least 12 people dead and several others wounded.

According to officials, the first cattle-related attack took place at a village called Bai Ajak on 13 January. 2021

The incident claimed five people, including a child and two women.

The second incident took place in Paloch three days later, leaving seven people dead, in what local officials have described as revenge killings.

One of the victims was a nine-month-old baby. These incidents reportedly caused tensions between the two communities, prompting the leaders to hold a meeting.

Simon Kun Puoch, one of the Jikany community leaders and former Governor of Upper Nile state, read out a joint communique at a press conference in Juba on Thursday.

“We strongly appeal for calm among the youth on both sides and work to restore peace immediately,” Kun proclaimed.

The leaders accused some netizens of fuelling the violence.

“We strongly send this warning to all the anti-peace elements to cease all forms of provocations and negative propaganda on social media,” he added.

For his part, Padang community leader and former governor of the defunct Central Upper Nile state governor – James Tor, called upon traditional leaders to control the youth.

“We urge the chiefs in the villages and those who are in authority across all our counties to be seriously advising youth who are planning to go and raid cattle from any community to refrain from such activities,” Tor told the media.

In a statement, the two communities called on the youth to ease tensions in the area.

“We urged the youth to ease tensions and to engage in dialogue as the only viable means to restore peaceful coexistence and stability in our state.”

On Thursday, the acting SSPDF spokesperson told Eye Radio that, a military team has been dispatched to Palouch of Meluth County to investigate the violence there.

According to the UN Mission in South Sudan, 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 in September 2018.

Observers attribute the issue to lack of access to justice.