Map of Unity State, and Ruweng Administrative Area

At least three rustlers have been killed after armed youth clashes with security forces in Panyijiar County of Unity state, the County Commissioner has said.

Commissioner Gabriel Majok Bol says this came after security forces tried to recover stolen cattle from armed youth in the area.

According to the Commissioner, the cattle were stolen from neighboring Lakes state last week.

In the attack, according to authorities in Lake State, three people were killed and four others were wounded in Yirol East County.

Lakes state Information Minister, William Kwoji said the gunmen from Panyijiar attacked a cattle camp last Friday.

Meanwhile, Panyijiar County commissioner says the defiant youth refused to hand over the stolen cattle, leading to days of gun battle with the local government.

He told Eye Radio that 39 armed youths have surrendered and 25 cattle have been recovered.

“We have criminals who went to a place called Yirol East and attacked a cattle camp and we have been fighting with them since yesterday in order to collect stolen cattle from their hands,” Bol told Eye Radio.

“We have casualties from their side and from our side, we have wounded. Around three people were killed among them. We collected around 25 cattle but we are still hunting for the remaining cattle. Most of the criminals also surrendered after we fought them.

“They have given us the names of those people who raided the cattle and then we expect to have a big number of cattle recovered in the next few days. Those who are surrendering are kept in prisons and we tell their relatives to hand over the cattle.”