By Matik Kueth
On Wednesday morning, armed youth from Mayom County, Unity State, reportedly stormed and seized control of Abiemnom County of Ruweng Administrative Area (RAA), according to local authorities.
In an exclusive interview with King Media, Mario Deng Ayot, Abiemnom County Commissioner, confirmed that the Bul-Nuer armed youth from Mayom County invaded the town at about 7 a.m. and displaced the residents.
He alleged that on Tuesday, the Bul-Nuer armed youth killed four people and injured six others in Abiemnom.
Ayot stated the armed youth captured the county headquarters and displaced civilians, and the fighting got worse.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), in the afternoon around 1:00 PM, there were cows grazing outside Abiemnom. The youth from Mayom County attacked and took the cows. They later returned and took goats. They came from Mayom County. We know them, they are live with us in Abiemnom, they eat with us. This morning, they attacked my office at the county headquarters and took control of the town. In the attack, they killed four people and wounded six others. ” Ayot stated.
He revealed that he was still in the forest after the town was captured by the armed youth earlier in the morning, noting that they were still burning the town’s facilities.
“I don’t know how many houses have been set on fire exactly, but they have set a few houses on fire. Now I am talking to you from the forest. The attackers are many, and we can’t resist them. They are still in the town. As I speak now, I am in the forest, they are still in the town and are busy burning houses,” he stated.
However, when contacted by King Media, James Liliy Kuol, Mayom County Commissioner, outlined a different scenario, alleging that the 3rd infantry commander of RAA commanded his men to attack the cattle herders when they were returning to Tharwangdeng hamlet.
He pointed out that the SSDPF-backed by the armed youth of Abiemnom, also apprehended and imprisoned roughly 25 children, including 18 girls who went to Abiemnom town to sell their milk, which enraged the armed youth even more.
Nevertheless, he pointed out that the girls are safe, as confirmed with the Abiemnom County Commissioner.
“That incident, we controlled it ourselves as a commissioner of Mayom with the commissioner of Abiemnom all the night, and then I agreed. So, the problem, the cattle that were taken inside Abiemnom, and also there were about 18 girls, were being kept there inside Abiemnom for protection from the commissioner, and the cows were also kept there. So, I told the commissioner that he doesn’t want to rule the problem,” he stressed.
Liliy said that he had earlier notified the Mayom armed youth that the situation had been turned over to authorities, but the armed youth disregarded and instead marched forth to attack Abiemnom.
“Even when I talked to the youth that I told them that this problem now comes to the government authorities, so keep away from what you want to do. So, they kept away, and in the morning, I even communicated with the commissioner, Honorable Mario Deng, that I am going to him, we shall meet and solve the problem that happened yesterday. So, we agreed to this, but when I was about on my way from my headquarter toward Abiemnom, I heard just only sound of RPG and heavy guns were being released there.” he revealed.
He accused Brig. Gen. Garang Lual, Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division’s Biemkat garrison, of inciting the violence, warning that such actions crumble social cohesion.
The commissioner stressed that the situation has calmed down after dispatching the commander of Brigade 11 of the 4th Infantry Division to Abiemnom to avert the fighting from escalating any further.