Gogrial East raid in Warrap State: what is known
At least three people were killed and more than 4,000 cattle were stolen during a raid in Warrap State, authorities said on Sunday. The incident was reported in South Sudan’s Gogrial East County, in what officials described as a multi-day attack.
Alabek and Lietnhom hit over two days, officials say
Warrap State’s minister of information and communication, Mamer Bath, said the raid took place on Thursday and Friday. He said the affected areas were Alabek and Lietnhom in Gogrial East County.
“The suspected armed youth from neighboring Unity State have raided over 4,000 cows and around three people were killed and nine others were injured,” Bath told Radio Tamazuj (Radio Tamazuj).
Security deployment after senior visit, Warrap authorities say
Bath said Warrap State Deputy Governor Aluel Garang visited the area alongside a commander from the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces. According to Bath, forces were deployed with the stated aim of restoring security following the raid.
Unity State disputes blame as investigations continue
Unity State challenged Warrap’s account. Nyakenya Yohannis Keah, Unity State’s minister of information and communication, said an initial investigation suggested the attackers were from within Gogrial East County, not from Unity State.
“We are still investigating the whole thing, but the information I got, the incident has happened within Gogrial East County without involvement from youth in Unity State,” Keah said (Radio Tamazuj).
Police promise more details amid recurring cattle-raiding tensions
Gogrial West County Police Inspector Brig. Gen. Mabek Monytoc said he was on a security mission and would provide more information on Monday, according to the report (Radio Tamazuj).
Cattle raiding remains a long-standing conflict trigger in South Sudan, often followed by retaliatory attacks that, in some years, result in hundreds of deaths, analysts and officials have repeatedly noted.