The number of people killed in clashes between rival Dinka tribe clans in central South Sudan has risen to 172, a local official said on Tuesday.
“The death toll is 172 and the wounded people are 213. Some of the injured victims are dying,” said Dharuai Mabor Teny, Member of Parliament in Rumbek East of Western Lakes State.
Earlier reports put the toll of the clashes, which started on Dec. 6, between the Rup and Pakam clans, at 60.
The fighting was ignited by the Rup clan, which attacked the Pakam tribesmen who they blame for displacing them from their land located in Malek County.
This came after another recent bout of deadly clashes in northern Jonglei State between the pastoral Dinka and Murle tribe that left 69 people dead and scores injured.
Teny added that despite President Salva Kiir declaring State of emergency in the restive region, the situation remains tense, hence warranting deployment of the South Sudan army (SPLA).
“The situation is not clear, since the president declared State of emergency, unless he pressures the (SPLA) Chief of Staff to deploy troops here then the situation will calm down,” Teny revealed.
The head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) David Shearer said the number of people being killed in such revenge killings involving rival communities could easily exceed those killed in the political conflict.
“A lot of these problems are longstanding, they have been going on for years, but when you mix automatic weapons into this violence and a cycle of revenge killing, then you got a recipe for ongoing violence for a long time and the number of people being killed in these sorts of attacks is now exceeding the political conflict certainly over the last few weeks,” Shearer said in Juba.
He added that UNMISS responded as quickly as possible, and they have so far managed to remove road blocks on the main road between Rumbek and Wau.
“We have been able to manage to clear those (road blocks) so that the transport is able to continue,” he disclosed, adding that they were still engaging the rival clans to cease hostilities.
Newer articles:
- South Sudan: a Nation Tormented by a Crisis - 14/12/2017 05:37
- South Sudanese Turn to Illegal Mining for Survival - 13/12/2017 17:33
- South Sudanese church representatives call on Canada for policy and financial support - 13/12/2017 12:52
- South Sudan needs $1.7 billion humanitarian aid in 2018 - 13/12/2017 04:58
- South Sudan tightens security ahead of festive season - 12/12/2017 22:57
Older news items
- In war-torn South Sudan, one town nurtures a small-scale peace - 11/12/2017 23:32
- Debating South Sudan's future - 11/12/2017 21:38
- South Sudan declares state of emergency in lakes region - 11/12/2017 21:11
- Slain South Sudan MP buried in Uganda - 11/12/2017 01:58
- Sudan, South Sudan border commission to approve border demarcation report - 10/12/2017 13:46
Latest news items (all categories):
- إلى متى ينظر الجميع إلى الفيل و يطعنون ظله..؟ - 15/05/2024 21:51
- SOUTH SUDAN - Peace negotiations in Kenya: Not everyone is convinced of the initiative - 14/05/2024 20:40
- ‘Difficult choices’: The particular vulnerability of children with disabilities in South Sudan - 14/05/2024 20:35
- Uganda in talks with China's Sinohydro over power line to South Sudan - 14/05/2024 20:31
- What South Sudan Can Learn from Neighboring Gold Producers - 14/05/2024 20:27
Random articles (all categories):
- South Sudan: 'Rough Justice' in Lakes State - Witnesses Describe Roundups By Soldiers, Detention, Beatings of Civilians - 24/06/2013 02:58
- South Sudan commemorates International Literacy Day (ILD) - 15/09/2020 23:30
- Can Sudan’s creaking colonial railway help the country get back on track? - 09/08/2021 23:00
- Merry X-mas & A Happy New 2011 - 23/12/2010 22:07
- Save the Children condemns killing of its contractor in E. Equatoria - 24/06/2021 04:10
Popular articles:
- Who is the darkest person in the world, according to Guinness World Record? - 25/10/2022 02:34 - Read 35316 times
- No oil in troubled waters - 25/03/2014 15:02 - Read 21874 times
- School exam results in South Sudan show decline - 01/04/2012 17:58 - Read 20767 times
- NDSU student from South Sudan receives scholarship - In-Forum - 29/09/2012 01:44 - Read 17442 times
- With prisons full, South Sudan to introduce mobile courts to clear backlog of cases - 11/10/2012 11:29 - Read 14231 times