Warrap Minister of Information William Wol Mayom. (Photo: The Dawn).

Warrap State Minister of Information said lack of proper equipment for security forces and widespread flooding have made it difficult to contain recurrent communal violence in Tonj North County.

Tonj North has seen recurrent sectional violence that has claimed the lives of dozens of people and displaced thousands in 2024.

The latest was an inter-clan fighting in Alebek Payam which killed 13 people on November 15 – according to Tonj North commissioner who spoke to local radio station – Mayardit FM.

Daniel Mangar said the cycle of violence displaced government officials from the Payam headquarters and police stations.

On his part, Minister William Wol Mayom said calm has been restored and acknowledged that the local government and police in Alebek is facing a dire situation due to floods that cut off reinforcement and coordination with the state government.

“Currently the security situation is calm after the inter-clan clashes again in Alebek on the 9th of Friday 2024. In Alebek Payam, the local government has been disabled by the fact that it is being surrounded by water,” he said.

“The law enforcement agencies at the local level usually don’t get support or reinforcements from the county headquarters. The current forces or law enforcement agencies are not well equipped across the state.”

Minister Mayom called for more efforts to ensure law enforcement agencies acquire necessary requirements to enforce the law.

“This is a challenge that we all know. The preparation made to have enough law enforcement agencies, especially police, is not new. And we need more effort to be exacted to make sure that our law enforcement agencies are well equipped to combat crime.”

On October 11, 20 people were killed and 38 wounded during a fierce inter-communal fighting in Tonj North County, according to Information Minister Mayom, who said the government struggled to contain the situation.