17 killed in fresh tribal clashes in South Sudan

At least 17 people have been killed and nine others injured following clashes in South Sudan's Jonglei state, the police said on Tuesday, reported Xinhua.

Joseph Mayen Akoon, Jonglei state police commissioner, told Xinhua on the phone in Juba that armed bandits launched an attack on Makol-Cuei village in Bor county on Monday, during which three children were abducted, houses burned and an unconfirmed number of cattle raided.

"According to the report from the ground, 17 people have been killed and nine others wounded. The injured are undertaking medical treatment at Bor teaching hospital," Akoon said.

Akoon revealed that the raiders are believed to have come from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA), adding that the incident has left massive destruction in the area as the deceased include women, elderly, and children.

He said the regional authorities have sent security reinforcement to patrol the areas affected and stop the further killing of civilians.

"There are no sufficient weapons for the police, but we are trying our best to dispatch the law enforcement agents to the area as soon as possible to deter further clashes," he said.

However, independent sources reported that about 28 people have so far been killed, 10 children abducted and 19 others wounded when heavily armed men from Murle attacked the village.

In June, President Salva Kiir constituted a high-level committee to probe and find a solution to the region prone to deadly cattle rustling incidents between the Nuer, Murle and Dinka tribes who often carry out retaliatory attacks against each other.

The Jonglei region bordering Ethiopia to the east has long been plagued by ethnic fighting over cattle grazing grounds and access to water.