The aforementioned incident was reportedly triggered by three violent cattle raids which took place in the Greater Bor area this past week, all of which resulted in fatalities, and which local sources widely attribute to armed youths from Pibor County. The first took place on 13 December at Baidit Cattle Camp in Bor South County. One fatality was reported in this incident and an unspecified number of cattle stolen. The second took place on 15 December at Paliau Cattle Camp in Twic East County when a group of armed youth raided the camp, resulting in four fatalities and three injuries. The most recent incident took place on 16 December in Pamanbil Cattle Camp in Duk County and resulted in one fatality. Additional reports of violent ambushes allegedly carried out by individuals from Pibor County, including the killing of several Dinka people along Bor-Juba road earlier on 16 December, reportedly contributed to the youths’ decision to assemble in Bor. While local sources widely attribute these violent incidents to individuals coming from Pibor County, the identities of the perpetrators remain unconfirmed.
Cattle conflict and related intercommunal violence (ICV) are a significant source of violent incidents in Jonglei State. In 2019, so far recorded 46 incidents of cattle-related violence in Jonglei (inclusive of aforementioned incidents), which represents roughly 1 in 5 security incidents in Jonglei overall.
Conflict over grazing land and land resources frequently fuels intercommunal tensions in the Greater Bor area. Various cattle paths cut through Bor, increasing the likelihood that transitory cattle keepers interact and clash with local populations during seasonal movements. The arrival of the dry season and the concomitant mobility regularly facilitates an increase in such clashes. Armed cattle traders from neighbouring Pibor County are commonly associated with cattle raids and child abductions; local sources have attributed them to 25 incidents of cattle raiding, four incidents of child abduction, and 11 other violent incidents recorded in 2019.
The prevalence of cattle conflict and associated incidents of ICV means they present a significant risk to civilians
