South Sudan’s presidency has vowed to take serious measures against the rampant cattle theft in many parts of the country.

The cycle of cattle raids and communal violence stretches back decades in South Sudan, and now represents one of the greatest challenges to stability.

The president’s spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Radio Tamazuj on Friday that the country’s security forces will deal with cattle thieves and communal violence.

Ateny further said security organs will invest more efforts and create strategies to deal with the problem. 

The office of the president, Ateny said, blames all incidents of cattle raids and tribal skirmishes on proliferation of firearms in the hands of civilians. He further said the security situation is steadily improving after the signing of the peace agreement.

“When we implement the agreement fully, the government will put measures in place to curb communal violence and cattle rustling,” he said.

 Ateny, who is also the presidential press secretary, said serious investigations into the deadly cattle raids are underway at the state level.

He stressed that the government will put measures in place to curb rampant cattle rustling in the country.

The pattern of tribal fighting fuelled by cattle raids and grazing land can be found in most parts of South Sudan, though the situation is particularly bad in Western Lakes, Jonglei, Boma, Tonj, Northern Liech, Bieh, Eastern Lakes and Gok states.

Last week, more than 120 people had been reported killed in Tonj and Northern Liech states after armed men attacked cattle keepers.

Livestock herding is the main source of income in many South Sudanese communities.