Map of Pibor Administrative Area. (Courtesy).

The Government of Pibor Administrative Area has vowed to crackdown on and apprehend local armed youth suspected to be behind the deadly cattle raiding in Duk County of Jonglei State.

Pibor Minister of Information Abraham Kelang said the administration has ordered the commissioner of Gumuruk and other border areas to monitor and apprehend such culprits.

The death toll on the midnight attack on a cattle camp in Duk County on Thursday, has now risen to 28 people, according to local authorities.

Duk Commissioner Peter Latjor said 18 people are nursing bullet wounds while 7,000 cattle have been raided.

When contacted, Pibor Information Minister Kelang said local authorities at the border with Gumuruk are on alert and will act accordingly, should the raiders happen to enter the area.

“After we heard about the incident that had happened and the youth from the Pibor area were charged, we accepted the matter and directed the commissioner of the areas near Jonglei to monitor the situation,” Kelang said.

He said the government will arrest the raiders, hold them to account, and return the cattle to their rightful owners.

“We waited for the delegation that we had sent. If these young men arrived with the loot that the officials in Bor spoke about like the cows, we as a government have a role.”

“If young people from there commit this crime, this is against the Pibor government, and if they arrive, we will arrest them, return the cows, and hand them over for justice.”