Three people were killed, and two others sustained wounds after armed assailants attacked the residence of the King of Anyuak in Pochalla County of Pibor Administrative Area on Friday.
An MP representing Pochalla County in the national parliament presumed that the attack in Otalo village was carried out by armed youth from Pibor.
Hon. Charles Wello stated that the gunmen, targeted the Royal Palace of King Akway Agada and attempted to raid hundreds of cattle, which were later recovered.
“The youth from Murle went and attack the headquarters of the King of Anyuak in Lotalo village and killed three people and fought with the youth of Anyuak. They took the cattle, but the cattle were recovered from them,” the lawmaker told Eye Radio.
“The attackers were repulsed back, but we have not gone to the ground to assess the situation due to lack of transport money. We always report to the Pibor government, but they don’t respond. They just keep silent.”
According to Hon. Wello, a similar attack in the area in December left at least one civilian killed and some cattle looted.
For his part, Pibor Deputy Chief Administrator John Joseph Abula said he learned about the attack on social media.
The official stated that he lacks concrete details about what happened.
“I got the post on social media yesterday that there was an attack in Lotalo village, but I don’t have full details about the incident,” said Abula.
Media reports indicate rising cases of communal hostilities in Greater Jonglei and as well as the neighboring states.
The incidents have been triggered a spat of finger-pointing towards armed elements purported to be from the special administrative territory of Pibor.
The latest incident was the attack that left more than 200 people dead in Kapoeta North County of Eastern Equatoria State.
When asked about what the authorities in Pibor are doing to contain sub-national violence, Joseph Abula said they have been sensitizing the youth to lay down their weapons and engage in productive activities.
“We tried several means to calm down the situation and we even formed peace promoters in every village to talk to them so that they put down their guns,
“But because they are scattered in different villages and there is also no access from the government, those are the reasons keeping them in the bushes and they don’t even know what the government is.”