Soldiers assess a village in the town of Abyei following an attack by armed assailants. (-)

At least seven people were killed and two others injured in the latest clashes between, and Twic and Abyei, the Abyei Information Minister has confirmed.

Both authorities in Abyei Administrative Area and Warrap State have exchanged accusations over a Sunday’s violence along their disputed common border.

Abyei Information Minister Bol Kuoch alleged that armed youth from Twic County of Warrap State launched an onslaught on Atonj-Ayuak on Sunday, an allegation Warrap Information Minister has denied.

He told Eye Radio that six people were killed from  Twic and one from Abyei.

Minister Bol Kuoch, who is also the government spokesperson for Abyei Administrative Area narrated to Eye Radio what happened.

“There were clashes that happened yesterday [Sunday] from 8 am till 4 pm in the area of Atonj-Ayuak, this is the area always where these clashes happen between the youth of Twic and Abyei,” Bol said.

“On our side, we lost one person and another injured and is now in the hospital taking medication, and from the other side, six people died and the situation now is normal,” he said.

“Those who started the fighting are those youth of Warrap because they looted seven trucks and after we heard the news and then our people went there.”

In response, Warrap Information Minister William Wol Mayom confirmed the incident but instead accused armed youth from Abyei of attacking the Atonj-Ayuak area.

As a result, he said, one person was killed, and two others wounded.

Warrap Information Minister William Wol Mayom spoke to Eye Radio this morning from Kuajok.

“What we know is that yesterday [Sunday] at 9 am armed youth from Abeyi area attacked an area called Atonj killing one person and wounding two people from the youth of Twic county in Warrap state,” said Mayom.

Eye Radio could not independently verify both claims.

However, the two neighbouring communities have repeatedly been embroiled in a vicious cycle of violence.

According to the UN Mission in South Sudan, 85 people were confirmed killed between the two communities in November and early December.

The latest incident brings the death toll to more than 92.

This comes weeks after the UN Security Council and the Troika Countries- Norway, the UK, and the US called on the unity government to demilitarize the buffer zone and defuse tension between the communities.