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

An official in Warrap State on Monday confirmed a dozen casualties following the outbreak of clashes between local armed youth and counterparts from Abyei region, while refuting allegations that youth from Twic County started the violence.

On Sunday, Abyei Information Minister Bolis Kuoch said 11 people were wounded when five areas came under attack by armed youth that he alleged to have crossed from neighboring Warrap.

Mr, Kuoch, who is also the government spokesperson of Abyei, claimed several locations in the region were hit by gunmen believed to be from Twic County over the weekend.

In response, Warrap Information Minister William Wol Mayom, said armed youth from Ajak-Kuach clashed with their counterpart from Abyei as they carried out “reconnaissance” in the area.

Mayom said two people were killed and 10 others wounded from the side of Warrap youth.

“Exactly at 4AM, suspected armed youth from Abyei, intending to attack Ajak-kuach, clashed with reconnaissance of Twic armed youth who were trying to patrol the area,” Mayom said.

“They clashed at the northern direction of Ajak-kuach Payam of Twic County. However, the fighting escalated so far until morning when the attackers from Abyei were pushed back to Juljok.”

“In Juljok, there was an intensified fighting which lasted for almost two hours, and on our side Waraap State, two people confirmed killed and ten wounded.”

Going by the causality figures Eye Radio could not independently verify, three people have been killed and 21 other wounded in the weekends’ attacks.

However, the incident is a continuation of renewed hostilities between the neighboring communities despite several peace efforts in the past.