3 killed during cattle raid in Panyijiar County

At least three people, including a child had been killed after armed men attacked cattle keepers in opposition-held territory within Panyijiar County of Unity State last week, a local official said. Yohanes Kijek, the opposition-appointed commissioner of Panyijiar County, told Radio Tamazuj on Sunday that three people, including a woman and a child were killed in an attack on Kachnhial area. The SPLM-IO official said the gunmen made away with 830 heads of cattle. He accused government officials in Southern Liech State of arming local youth to raid cattle in his area. "The attackers were heavily armed by Southern Liech authorities in order to attack innocent citizens,” he said. On his part, Southern Liech State security adviser, John Matip fiercely denied accusations that the government was arming young people. Matip reiterated the government's commitment to the peace process. "We have a joint plan with the opposition to disseminate peace in the region, so the accusations that we are arming some youth are baseless,” he said. Cattle raids are common among pastoralist communities in the Greater Unity region.