Festive Season Security in Duk County
What began as routine celebrations across Duk County quickly shifted into unease. Local officials report a noticeable uptick in violent incidents over the Christmas and New Year stretch, reversing earlier hopes for a calm end to 2023.
Timeline of Holiday Attacks
County Commissioner John Chatim Ruei outlined three attacks within a week. On 24 December, assailants stormed a cattle camp near Duk Padiet, injuring a herder and seizing 13 head of cattle.
Six days later 24 more animals vanished, and the evening saw armed men ambush travellers outside the town, killing one man. ‘Residents are frightened; roads that link our villages feel risky,’ Ruei told Radio Tamazuj.
Youth Response and Pursuit
‘Our youth are still tracking the raiders to recover the animals,’ the commissioner stated. He added that no faction has claimed responsibility, although he suspects young men from the neighbouring Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
Jonglei–GPAA Blame Dynamics
Cross-border cattle raids have long pitted communities of Jonglei State against those in the GPAA, each side blaming the other’s youth. Repeated phone calls to GPAA Information Minister Jacob Werchum Jouk went unanswered, leaving accusations unaddressed.
Long-Term Peace Initiatives
Government mediators and development partners have sponsored peace dialogues for decades. Despite moments of calm, recurring raids and ambushes signal how fragile the gains remain. Observers urge renewed grassroots engagement and improved policing along remote tracks.