Fresh violence has broken out in Duk County, Jonglei State, South Sudan, between the Hol community and their neighbours from the Ayual community in Twic East County. The clashes began on Thursday at around 11am and were ongoing on the outskirts of Duk Payuel town by 5pm. This recent escalation is part of a longstanding conflict between communities in the two counties, which has seen tensions rise in recent weeks.
According to Duk County caretaker commissioner John Chatim Ruei, armed youth from Twic East launched an attack on a village along the Jonglei Canal in Duk Payuel Payam on Friday morning. The commissioner reported that the youth had started moving towards their area since the previous night. He stated that the fighting was ongoing, with gunfire still audible at 5pm, approximately three hours away from Duk Payuel town.
The exact number of casualties remains unknown due to a lack of network in the area. Commissioner Ruei was unable to provide details on the number of people affected by the violence. Radio Tamazuj was unable to reach police and authorities in Twic East for comment on the incident.
The latest clashes occur amidst efforts by civil society groups to ease tensions between the two communities. Bol Deng Bol, a civil society activist and head of the National Civil Society Coalition, attributed the renewed violence to government inaction. He called for a comprehensive grassroots dialogue to engage the youth involved in the fighting.
Bol Deng Bol criticised a recently signed agreement, stating that it failed to prevent further violence because the government pressured communities into signing it, and those directly involved in the fighting were not represented. He also expressed concern over the lack of follow-up by the government, which he believes led to the initiative's failure to address underlying tensions.
According to Bol Deng Bol, civilians continue to be killed in recurring clashes between the communities, with the pattern of violence remaining largely unchanged. The civil society activist emphasised the need for a more effective approach to resolving the conflict, one that involves the direct participation of those affected.
The ongoing conflict between the Hol and Ayual communities highlights the need for a sustainable solution to address the root causes of the violence. Efforts to broker peace and ease tensions between the communities are ongoing, but the persistence of violence underscores the complexity of the issue and the challenges in finding a lasting resolution.
Key points
- The conflict between the Hol and Ayual communities has persisted for several years, with tensions escalating into intermittent clashes in recent weeks.
- Civil society groups are calling for a comprehensive grassroots dialogue to engage youth involved in the fighting and address underlying tensions.
- The recent clashes have resulted in an unknown number of casualties, with the area affected by a lack of network, making it difficult to assess the full impact of the violence.
