Fresh Surge of Violence in Cueibet
At least eight people were killed and seven injured as armed youth from the Ruruot and Panyar sections exchanged fire in Citcok Payam, Cueibet County, from Wednesday night into Thursday.
The confrontation forms part of a long cycle of revenge attacks that has haunted Lakes State despite several local peace deals and government backed reconciliations over the past four years.
Conflicting Casualty Reports Highlight Uncertainty
Acting state information minister William Koji Kirjok confirmed eight fatalities, saying the wounded were rushed to Cueibet hospital, with some referrals to Rumbek and Juba for specialised care.
However, national lawmaker Manyot Magar reported eleven deaths and blamed limited government presence, noting that seasonal floods block security deployment and complicate medical evacuations.
Security Forces Deployed Amid Flooded Terrain
Kirjok said state troops, joined by the acting county commissioner, have been stationed in the area to calm tensions and disarm roaming youth, but acknowledged that the groups had “pretended to be calmed” before reigniting hostilities.
Magar countered that insufficient forces and weak local administration leave remote villages exposed, asserting that “no government intervention” reached the flashpoint on Thursday.
Disputed Bride Price Sparks Long-Running Feud
Authorities trace the flare-up to an unresolved quarrel over a girl’s marriage last month, a common trigger in rural Lakes State where cattle, dowries and honour intertwine with militia loyalties.
While Governor Rin Tueny’s tenure had previously seen a lull in revenge killings, community elders now grapple with restoring dialogue amid saturated fields and strained livelihoods.
A Fragile Calm Ahead
By Friday, officials reported relative calm, yet residents remain wary that retaliation could resume once floodwaters recede, underscoring the intricate link between climate stress, customary law and security in South Sudan’s heartland.