Gunmen kill two students

South Sudan police says gunmen have shot and killed two students from the Thuyic section in Rumbek East County. The incident occurred in the area of Pan-Barkou.

South Sudan Brigadier General Mathiang Bol Ater, the area police inspector for operations identified the two students killed as Matur Lueth Makuac and Maciek Maker Malual.

He pointed out that police forces have been deployed to the area to prevent retaliatory attacks from the Thuyic section.

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The officer said relatives of the victims told police that gunmen from the Gony section killed the two students in a revenge attack.

Mathiang said police are looking for those linked to the deadly attack.

“Our forces are searching for those who killed the two students in Pan-Barkou to bring them to book for investigations,” Ater told local media, Radio Tamajuz

Last month, clashes between the Gony and Thuyic sections left more than 20 people dead and 40 wounded.

According to reports, the routine of intercommunal clashes in many parts of the country prevails due to the lack of efficient justice systems.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) says a fresh outbreak of fighting in the troubled Jonglei region has forced thousands of families to flee their homes and seek sanctuary next to the UN base in Pibor.

The Jonglei region has long been plagued by recurring intercommunal violence involving the Dinka, Nuer and Murle communities. The cycle of violence is often accompanied by cattle raids, child abductions, and other revenge-inducing crimes.

In a statement on Thursday, UNMISS said the influx of 6,000 displaced people came after the village of Likuangole, about 30 kilometers north of Pibor town, was attacked by armed groups on Wednesday night.

The UN mission further said tensions remain high in Pibor today with the prospect of many more families seeking protection from the violence.