Violent clashes in South Sudan kill at least 47

[News_Editor]

Violent clashes in South Sudan kill at least 47

2012-01-18 23:46:49 GMT+7 (ICT)

JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN (BNO NEWS) -- Violent clashes between two rival ethnic groups in South Sudan's troubled Jonglei state have left nearly 50 people killed and others injured and displaced, officials said on Wednesday.

The fighting began on Monday evening when the Murle armed youths invaded Duk Padiet in Duk county, where ethnic Dinkas live. The county commissioner, Mochnom Wuor, said the Murle youths marched in large numbers and opened fire at a crowd which had gathered for a meeting, the African Review reported.

"They have killed 47 and burnt the area completely," Wuor said, as quoted by the news portal. He added that the death toll could still rise as some people died in the bush while attempting to flee. "This is a total destruction. They are destroying everything," Wuor said.

Monday's clashes follows month of sporadic violence. In August 2011, at least 600 people were killed and more than 750 others were injured when tribal clashes erupted in Jonglei. The clashes originated between the Murle and Lou Nuer communities following large-scale cattle raids by members of the two groups, leading to the theft of between 26,000 and 30,000 cattle. Cattle raids are a persistent problem in South Sudan.

South Sudan became the world's newest country when it broke away from Sudan on July 9, 2011, as a culmination of a six-year peace process which began in January 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM).

More than two million people, most of them civilians who died due to starvation and drought, were killed during the 20-year civil war in Sudan. Although there were hopes that South Sudan secession would lead to peace, violence has continued both on a local level in South Sudan as well as with the Sudanese forces.

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