Two people were killed and two injured in an attack on Menijwar village in the disputed Abyei territory between Sudan and South Sudan, according to the Dinka Ngok paramount chief.

Unknown gunmen shot an elderly man and woman, about 3.5 km west from Abyei, after midnight yesterday, said Sultan Belbak Deng Kual.

He said he was not able to identify the perpetrators. However, he remarked that it was strange that another shooting occurred in the same village in the same house one year ago, on 19 March 2013.

Two children were also injured in the attack and they were taken for medical treatment to Agok hospital.

Dinka say being pushed from north Abyei

Meanwhile, Dinka Ngok tribal leaders have renewed accusations against the UNISFA forces of relocating the local citizens from Tajalei area in northeast of part to the Abyei town.

Baget Makuac, a chief of Tajalei, told Radio Tamazuj yesterday that UNISFA has evacuated all the residents to the town. Previously UNISFA denied asking residents to leave north Abyei.

“The area now is entirely empty – all the residents have been evacuated from the area and transported to Abyei town by UNISFA, after a big cattle camp belonging to a citizen called Pabiny Malual was burned on 15 March,” he said.

“We don’t know the reason behind the relocation of the citizens to the town, but when we try to ask administration of the UN forces, they tell us that they are unable to protect the citizens,” he alleged.

The chief said the Misseriya militias and elements from the Sudanese Armed Forces stationed at Diffra usually come to the deserted areas to burn houses and facilities.

“As a sultan I totally reject the idea of relocation of locals, because it encourages the Arab nomadic tribes to occupy the Ngok Dinka land,” emphasized the chief.

The area had witnessed tensions between the two tribes of Misseriya nomadic tribe and Ngok Dinka last month, resulting in bloodshed between the two sides.

Meanwhile the executive director of Ngong area in Abyei, Deng Ali, told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday that the UNISFA forces advised him to leave the area because the citizens will be evacuated to Abyei town today.

He noted local authorities are in a meeting to discuss the issue of relocation of citizens to Abyei town. “The local residents are unwilling to go to Abyei town, but they are too scared, especially when they see the Misseriya tribesmen moving with their guns in the area,” he said.

Related:

‘UN peacekeepers struggle to play meaningful role’ amid rising Abyei tensions (19 March) 

UN Security Council statement on Abyei (18 March)