Guns taken from the hands of civilians in the defunct Eastern Lakes in 2018 displayed in Yirol town | Credit | Unknown

At least two people have reportedly been killed in a suspected revenge attack in Yirol County, Lakes State.

The incident, which happened on Sunday, left four others wounded. The victims have not been named.

According to Abraham Nyuon, executive director of the defunct Eastern Lakes, the fighting was between armed youth from Amoli and Aluak-luak cattle camps.

He says some children have also gone missing.

“The situation was not favorable because that fighting yesterday affected, especially the vulnerable – children, women and elderly people, because they ran away from the cattle,” Nyuon told Eye Radio on Monday.

He added that there are fears of another retaliatory attack if the government does not intervene.

Lakes State has experienced continuous waves of communal violence mainly instigated by cattle raiding and revenge attacks in the past years.

Observers blame the conflict on presence of firearms in the hands of civilians, particularly cattle keepers locally known as ‘gelweng’ (protector of cow).

The area, just like other states, does not have a functioning government due to the failure by the parties to agree on the state allocation and appointment of governors.