(14 May 2013) - Five people have been killed in an inter-tribal clash in Unity State.
The State’s deputy governor, Michael Chanjiak Gai, told Radio Miraya that the fighting occurred on Monday morning, at the border between Mayom and Koch counties.
Chanjiak said the clashes appear to have been a revenge attack for a cattle raid in Koch County last week in which one person was killed.
“Some youth from Koch County went and attacked youth of Mayom in a place called Rier that incident came as a result of cattle theft.”
He continued, “Some youth from Mayom county last one week went into Koch County and steal some cattle, one person was actually killed in that incident.”
Chanjiak explained that the police arrested the culprits and recovered all the cattle.
He said that it was unfortunate that those who were hurt did not wait for the police to finish the investigation but immediately decided to retaliate.
Deputy Governor Chanjiak has directed the commissioners of Koch, Mayom, and Rubkona to intervene and prevent further clashes.