Violent clashes have broken out between two armed groups in South Sudan’s Twic State, officials said on Tuesday, after mounting tensions over cattle raids.

Details of the clashes were not immediately clear.

Michael Mayot, Twic State Information Minister, told Radio Tamazuj this evening that fighting was continuing between local youths and attackers in several villages of Turalei County.

He pointed out that the number of people killed remains unclear.” Some people have been killed but it remains unclear because fighting is continuing,” he said.

According to Michael, the standoff between the two sides erupted this morning and is suspected to have been triggered by cattle theft incidents.

The state government official noted that the attackers made away with an unknown number of cattle. He accused armed youths from neighboring Northern Liech State of carrying out the attacks on cattle camps in Turalei County.

On his part, Northern Liech’s Information Minister Lam Tungwar confirmed fighting erupted between two armed groups at the border with Twic State.

 “We are aware of the ongoing clashes. The violence was triggered after cows had been stolen from Northern Liech by armed groups from Twic,” he said.

The state government official believes the incident happened after armed men from Mayom County of Northern followed their stolen cows.

“The cows were stolen two days ago. The clashes between the two sides erupted near Turalei County,” he said.

Lam pointed out that the state government would arrest suspected cattle rustlers and return the cattle to their rightful owners.” Security forces in Northern Liech are ready to arrest the cattle raiders when they arrive in the state. We are coordinating with the government of Twic State over the issue,” he said.

“We condemn what happened in the strongest possible terms. I urge the government of Twic state to work hard in order to control criminals because cows were raided from Northern Liech four times now,” he added.

Incidents of cattle raids have increased in recent months in many parts of the region, with cattle raiders attacking homes, killing people and burning property.

Livestock herding is the main source of income in many areas in South Sudan.