Border Attacks Alarm Northern Bahr el Ghazal
Persistent ambushes and cattle raids along the Sudanese frontier have jolted Northern Bahr el Ghazal’s tranquil reputation. In early August, a businessman was fatally shot on the Majok-Wanyjok road, underscoring a crime wave that lawmakers say can no longer be ignored.
Assembly Summons Security Leadership
The state transitional legislature has ordered county commissioners, Aweil town’s mayor, the police commissioner and the minister of local government to appear before the house next week. Speaker Simon Kuol said the officials must clarify the factors fueling cross-border violence and outline swift remedies.
Trade Disrupted, Markets Nervous
Truckers now avoid dusk convoys, while shop owners in Wanyjok report dwindling inventories. Civil society warns that insecurity is suppressing commerce at a moment when grain prices already strain household budgets across the state’s five counties.
Civil Society Calls for Robust Response
Joseph Angok Mayath of the Empowering Village Initiative described the ambushes as an assault on livelihoods. “Traders are the backbone of these communities, hurting them bleeds the entire economy,” he told reporters, demanding round-the-clock patrols, road checkpoints and safety campaigns for transporters.
Government Weighs Next Steps
Security chiefs indicate that joint operations with neighbouring Warrap and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition are under discussion. Observers believe a coordinated border management plan, coupled with community policing, could restore confidence without escalating tensions along the fragile frontier.