Authorities in Rumbek East and Yirol West Counties of Lakes State confirmed that four people including one policeman were killed and another wounded in two separate cattle raiding attempts last Saturday.

The two cases occurred in Amoli and Maborduang areas of Yirol West and Rumbek East Counties of Lakes State respectively.

The people who were killed in both incidents were identified as Makuer Abol, Akoon Ngeth, Mayor Abiel, and Tingic Ater. 

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, the deputy commissioner of police in Rumbek East County, Brigadier Makur Dak, said the cattle which were raided from Yirol West County were recovered albeit after the raiders killing a policeman in an ambush.

"Yes, it is true that there was a cattle raid on Saturday 19 March. When police went to recover that raided cattle, they fell into an ambush and one policeman was killed and another wounded but the police forces managed to rescue all the raided cattle and two people were killed from among the raiders,” Brig. Dak said.

According to the police boss, the security forces, after receiving orders from the new commissioner, managed to arrest the father of the youth who was involved in the cattle raid from the neighboring Yirol West County. He said that the old man was however released to go mourn and bury his two sons who were killed in the process of the police recovering the stolen animals.

"The new commissioner of Rumbek East County, after the incident occurred, came to the scene and the police security forces managed to arrest the father of the two raiders who were killed in that incident but released him because he had lost two sons in that raiding of cattle," Brig. Dak said.

He added that in a separate incident, an old man who went for his daughter’s funeral on the same day was also killed in what is presumed to have been a revenge murder in the Maborduang area of Rumbek East County.

The Executive Director in Alualuak Payam, Daniel Ichok Dhieu, confirmed that the security forces had rescued all the raided cattle from neighboring Rumbek East County cattle raiders after they killed one police soldier and wounded another on Sunday in an ambush.

Commissioner Ichok said the policeman who was wounded is now receiving treatment in Mapuordit.

The Yirol West County Town Mayor, Balang Arok Dakbai, also confirmed the incident but that normalcy had returned to the area.

"We are very busy today (Tuesday) because we are welcoming the commissioners of Rumbek East and Yirol West Counties. So, there is a hope that these new commissioners will improve the security situation and everything will be normal when they come into their offices,” Mayor Arok said.