By Hou Akot Hou
At least six people have been killed and a five-day-old infant critically injured in separate violent incidents linked to cattle raiding and revenge killings in Warrap State.
In Twic County, three people were killed during a cattle raid at Lol-Ariath village in Turalei Payam on Sunday last week.
The attack occurred at around midnight in a swampy grazing area locally known as “Toich.”
In an exclusive interview with No. 1 Citizen Newspaper on Tuesday, acting executive director in the Office of the Commissioner, Joseph Kuot Wol, said armed raiders launched a surprise attack on cattle keepers before driving away a large number of cattle.
“The raiders attacked from the Toich with full force, overpowered the cattle owners, and drove away with the cattle,” Wol told No. 1 Citizen Newspaper.
According to him, three people lost their lives during the exchange of gunfire; the deceased were identified as Malual Deng Mawuot and Atak Deng Atak, while the identity of the third victim, believed to be one of the attackers, remains unknown.
Several others were wounded during the attack. One of the injured, identified as Duot Makou, sustained a gunshot wound to the thigh, while others suffered serious injuries, including broken limbs.
Wol blamed some cattle owners for ignoring repeated warnings from authorities to keep their herds together in larger groups for better protection against raiders.
“We have been telling them to group together so that they do not stay alone with their cattle. Grouping together can help discourage attackers,” he said.
He added that the remote location of the grazing area and its distance from security installations hampered rescue efforts.
The official further revealed that a similar cattle raiding incident occurred on Friday in another part of Turalei Payam, where 53 head of cattle were stolen.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Tonj East County, authorities are searching for a suspect accused of killing a couple and their firstborn daughter while critically injuring their five-day-old son.
The attack occurred at around midnight on Saturday at a cattle camp in Thiok-Kuel.
Police Inspector Sgt. Deng Akuei said the suspect opened fire on the family, killing the father, mother, and their daughter on the spot. The infant survived but sustained severe head injuries.
“The mother and father of the child, together with their older daughter, were killed at the cattle camp called Thiok-Kuel, and the suspect remains at large,” Akuei said.
The injured infant is currently receiving treatment at Tonj South County Hospital.
Akuei appealed to members of the public to assist the child and cooperate with investigators to help bring the suspect to justice.
As cattle raiding and revenge killings continue to plague parts of Greater Warrap, authorities have urged communities to respect the rule of law and refrain from taking matters into their own hands.
Local officials acknowledge that recurring violence linked to cattle theft remains one of the biggest security challenges facing Twic, Tonj, Gogrial, and neighbouring communities, where disputes over cattle frequently escalate into deadly confrontations.