At least one person was killed and another injured when two communities of Hiyalla and Haforiere in the defunct Torit East County in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria state clashed again.

The Hiyalla and Haforiere communities have been engaged in a series of attacks and counter-attacks that have led to the loss of lives despite efforts exerted by the Otuho Peace Taskforce and the Hujang Peace and Reconciliation Committee. This is the third time they have clashed this year.

On Monday this week, Eastern Equatoria state governor Louis Lobong Lojore instituted a committee of Otuho intellectuals headed by former governor Abdalla Albert Ofuher to resolve tensions in the defunct Torit East County. This follows an earlier ultimatum he issued to the communities to apprehend the criminals.

Michael Mujang Obel the chief of Haforiere village accused Hiyalla communities of attacking their youth at Hoss river while they were bathing prompting the clashes.

He said Isaac Mamur 33 years was shot and injured while he was bathing in Hoss river prompting his youth to follow the attackers up to the place they clashed 

“This incident happened on Tuesday at around 6 pm here at the river where Haforiere women fetch water. There was a man from us here he went to bath there then the youth of Hiyalla came and shot him there that is why Monyomiji ran after them up to Tirangore traditional venue for the marathon. They found the Hiyalla youth there at around a few minutes to 8 pm so they fought there and they separated themselves without knowing that they killed someone from Hiyalla," he explained.

"Haforiere and Hiyalla are now in conflict. they are not peaceful they continue to fight, raiding goats, killing each other and this problem continues up to now," Chief Mujang lamented.

He urged the youth to desist from fighting and allow peace to return in the area.

Hiyalla chief John Oromo confirmed the clashes but denied accusations that youth from his area started the confrontation.

He went on to accuse Haforiere youth of attempting to raid cattle leading to the clashes.

“There were cattle that remain in the bush, and these boys went to follow the cattle but Haforiere youth came to our gardens, found the cattle, and raided them. So as soon as our boys heard this they ran after them and they clashed. In the morning we went to the scene and we confirmed and brought the dead body and we buried it,” Chief Oromo said.

He identified the late as 38-year-old Cypriano Omoli Tobia and called for the arrest of the perpetrators while urging the youth to refrain from violence.

The Executive Director of the now-defunct Torit East County Omoli John has assured the residents that peace efforts will continue until the issues are resolved.

“No, it will not interrupt because we need peace especially in this new year, we need peace because we need development and the road, the tarmac is going to be continuing. The two have been fighting and need someone to separate them. I am urging them to stop the conflict and not to disturb the festivities," Omoli said.

Abdalla Albert Ofuher, the leader of the newly-formed peace committee assured the people of Torit Eats that calm and peace will be restored.

“The committee for peace and reconciliation between Haforiere and Hiyalla met with the state governor and intellectuals from both villages. We agreed that there must be reconciliation this time around so that people move freely without intimidation on the roads. We also agreed that any area that causes problems in another village has to compensate and resolve the problem,” Albert said. "There should be cooperation with the government so that we apprehend the criminals for the law to deal with them. We have come up with a plan of action to meet the two villages to confirm that before Christmas people celebrate well without problems.”