Jonglei violence: what happened in Duk County
At least 10 people were killed and one was injured in a series of cattle raids in Duk County, South Sudan’s Jonglei state, over two days, according to local authorities.
Officials said armed assailants carried out the attacks and made off with more than 1,000 head of cattle, underscoring the persistent insecurity affecting rural grazing areas.
Duk Padiet attack: deaths reported on Sunday
Duk County Commissioner John Chatim Ruei said the latest incident unfolded on Sunday afternoon on the outskirts of Duk Padiet town, targeting cattle that were grazing in nearby fields.
“Seven youths were killed during the raid, and between 1,000 and 1,500 cattle were taken,” Chatim told Radio Tamazuj. He added that the animals had not been recovered and local youths were pursuing the attackers.
Pajut raid and pursuit: casualties mount
Chatim said the same group struck a day earlier in Pajut town, where 503 cattle were raided and one herder was killed, deepening community losses beyond the immediate fatalities.
He said the pursuit that followed turned deadly. “During the pursuit to recover the stolen cattle, two additional youths were killed and another one injured,” Chatim said.
GPAA response: denial and border security measures
Chatim said the attackers were suspected to be armed youths from the neighbouring Greater Pibor Administrative Area, pointing to the language spoken during the raid and the direction of movement eastwards after the attack.
Jacob Werchum Jouk, the GPAA information minister, said he had no knowledge of the incident and rejected the allegation. “We are not aware of any such cattle raid,” he said.
Jonglei cattle raids: a recurring driver of insecurity
Jouk said authorities in the area had been enforcing security measures along the border. “None of our youths crossed into Duk. These are just claims by peace spoilers,” he said.
Cattle raids remain common in Jonglei and nearby areas, local officials and observers say, often linked to competition over resources and the widespread availability of small arms.