Kuajok-At least 10 people have been killed and 6 others sustained injuries in a chieftaincy clash between two feuding traditional factions in Tonj North County of South Sudan’s Warrap, according to police.
The incident occurred on Sunday after long-serving executive chief of Pan-Kuei clan resisted his removal from the position he served in for 37 years.
The violence broke out when his opponents tried to remove him from the position by force days after winning traditional elections.
Tonj North County Police Investigator, Ajal Bol Bol, told Sudans Post on Tuesday that the conflict was caused by a lack of understanding between the two Pan-Kuei clans.
“The clash occurred over the weekend between Pan-Kuei, who claimed the lives of 8 clansmen from their sides, and 2 casualties from Pan-Arek, who are attempting to remove the chief,” Bol explained.
Bol claimed violence broke out after the 37-years-serving chief defeated his rivals in traditional elections.
“The matter has been ongoing between the two clans. He won the local contests 4 times, and he is not losable, so people wanted to remove him by force, and it caused the clash.”
Six men were seriously injured in the brawl, he said, and they were sent to the hospital for immediate medical attention.
He claimed that similar tragedies have occasionally occurred in Warrap and attributed the most of them to conflicts involving retaliatory killings and cattle rustling.
The investigator disclosed that relative calm has returned to the area, and deployment of force was done by the authorities.
