Gov’t won’t tolerate attacks by armed civilians on its forces, says Warrap governor

JUBA – The Governor of Warrap State General Aleu Ayieny Aleu on Saturday warned that the state government won’t tolerate any attacks by armed civilians on its forces.

This came following June clashes between armed cattle rustlers and soldiers in Tonj North which left 28 people dead.

Among the dead included armed civilians, SSPDF Chief of Military Intelligence, Majors and Captains, 3 commanders, and the former Commissioner of Mayen Jur County.

While addressing a public rally on the occasion to mark Martyrs Day in Kuajok town on Saturday, General Aleu urged armed youth to immediately stop kind of hostilities against government forces, warning that any attack on military barrack won’t be tolerated.

Aleu called on the people of Tonj North County to denounce violence and embrace peace in order to foster development and rebuild peaceful cohesion in the state.

“Peace must begin within Tonj North and extends to other areas, with peace you will have time for farming, education, health, and so forth,” Aleu said.

He called on armed civilians to continue voluntarily surrendering guns peacefully.

Warrap State, particularly Tonj North County has been the scene of bloody clashes in recent years between government forces and armed youth.

More than 148 civilians, including soldiers, were killed in August 2020 during disarmament exercise that sparked clashes between armed youth from the cattle camp and SSPDF officers.

The violence at the Romic area in Tonj East erupted when soldiers beat up a youth wearing a red scarf on his head, angering his colleagues who later on retaliated with gunfire.