Authorities in Abyei Administrative Area on Friday said that two youths were on Thursday killed in Mabuny village in Alal County by armed youth suspected to be from Twic County of Warrap State.
According to local officials, eight youths from Mabuny village were collecting wild honey in the forest at around 9 pm when the assailants opened fire on them killing 2 on the spot while the rest fled.
Kuol Chan, the Alal County acting commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj Friday that the attacked youth had 3 guns but fled because it was a surprise attack.
“The 8 youths were collecting honey in the forest in Mabuny village on Thursday night when they heard footsteps followed by gunshots. Armed youth believed to be from Twic County (Warrap State) attacked them and killed 2 of them,” he said. “The 6 ran away and had no injuries. These youth who were getting honey only had 6 guns with them and ran away without firing back.”
“We are now at the funeral of the deceased but the situation is calm and the SSPDF followed the perpetrators towards Twic until found the place where they rested and ate honey in the area of Awang thou village,” he added.
Chan said that intelligence information came through on Wednesday that armed Twic youth were assembled at Mabior Akoon Akech village in preparation to attack the Abyei area.
Meanwhile, Kelek Kon, the Abyei security advisor, confirmed the incident and said that the other counties were peaceful.
“On Thursday, there was an attack in Mabuny village in which armed youth suspected to belong to Twic County killed two persons who were collecting honey in the forest,” he said. “Rumamer, Mijak, and Amoth-Aguok counties remain calm because goods are coming from Sudan every day but the challenge is that goods coming from Wau to Abyei via Wunrock had to be escorted by SSPDF to the Abyei area.”
However, Mangok Kom, the acting commissioner of Twic County, said he had no details about the attack but denied that youth from his area were involved and claimed that his territory is always attacked by armed youth from Abyei and Unity state.
“I do not have any information but where were they attacked because the area south of the River Kiir belongs to Twic County. What were they doing south of River Kiir?” he asked. “Also, we have bad border relations with Unity State because armed Nuer youth working jointly with Abyei youth attack our areas through Ruweng County every day.”
Source: Radio Tamazuj