The incident, which took place on Saturday last week in Kuac East Payam, is tied to longstanding tensions and an unresolved dispute between sections of Thur Boma.
According to Brigadier Garang Lual Lual, the Gogrial West police inspector, the clash erupted when members of the two groups confronted each other over an earlier altercation that had left one person dead.
The initial killing, which occurred months ago, had not been resolved, creating a tense environment that eventually spilled over into renewed violence.
Brig. Lual explained that the executive chief, Wath Lual Wath, had been detained by authorities in connection with the earlier conflict.
When tensions flared again on Saturday, the chief reportedly asked officers to allow him to speak to his people, saying he could help calm the situation. However, the sequence of events unfolded differently from what was anticipated.
“What happened is that the executive chief (alaam Mithit in Dinka), Wath Lual, was detained due to the clash that occurred between two groups last time. During his detention, as the skirmish resumed, he said he would go and persuade his people, but he went and joined the fight. When the officer fired several shots into the air, he was struck and died immediately,” Brig. Lual said.
The chief’s sudden death inflamed the situation further. Brig. Lual reported that community members loyal to the chief mobilised in anger, moving throughout the area in a retaliatory spree.
In the chaos, they encountered an SSPDF soldier, identified as James Kuol Mayen, who was walking through the village. The mob attacked and killed him on the spot, believing his presence to be linked to the earlier events.
Following the two killings, security forces moved to contain the situation. Brig. Lual confirmed that several suspects implicated in both deaths have been arrested and are being held at the Manyang SSPDF military facility as investigations continue.
He urged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands, warning that such acts perpetuate cycles of violence and obstruct justice. “This level of disorder only derails judicial processes. We are working hard to address the situation and the grievances that led to this,” he said.
The incident highlights the persistence of revenge killings in Warrap State, a region plagued by recurring intercommunal violence despite ongoing government interventions, including a state of emergency and disarmament operations meant to curb lawlessness.
