Aweil authorities fundraise for victims of Misseriya attacks
The commissioner of Aweil East County, Kiir Yor Lual, has formed a committee to raise funds in solidarity with the victims of the Misseriya attacks.
According to a statement released on Friday, the committee is tasked with organising fundraising rallies, collecting funds from well-wishers within and outside the country.
The committee will also collaborate with the relevant institutions to identify the victims of the attack, disburse funds, or items to the victims, and initiate and coordinate humanitarian emergency response.
The committee is headed by the commissioner, Kiir Yor Lual, as the chairperson, and is deputised by the Chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, Anuei Akoon, as the deputy chairperson.
The secretary of the committee is Ring Yak. The treasurer is Karbino Agok Aguer, and Tito Awen Bol is the secretary of information.
The members of the committee include Bishop Mamer Manot, County Education Director Simon Ngor Piol, the county Wash Director Akol Guot, Thiep Deng Akol from the youth union, Chairlady of women’s association Achan Kuot, and the paramount chief Peter Makuac Makuac.
The national government has sent a delegation to find a viable solution to such regrettable attacks.
The South Sudan United Front/Army (SSUF/A) led by Paul Malong, which is scheduled to hold talks with the government this month, also released a statement condemning the attacks on civilians and adding that they were standing in solidarity with the bereaved families in South Sudan as a whole.
Delegation in Khartoum
Last week, the government dispatched a delegation to Khartoum to hold discussions with the Sudanese government and the leaders of Misseriya primarily to end attacks but also to create a peaceful environment at the border.
The other reasons for their visit were to hold discussions on bilateral relations between the two countries and to settle the issue of rebels who had been crossing to South Sudan from Sudan to breach the peace.
The delegation was also on a mission to send a message of solidarity to Sudanese authorities in response to Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok’s resignation and the protests in Khartoum and its outskirts calling for the removal of the military government.
The delegation is led by the Presidential Advisor on National Security Affairs, Tut Gatluak, and includes the governor of Unity State, Dr Joseph Manytuil, the Director-General of Internal Security Bureau Akol Khor, and the Director-General of Military Intelligence, Stephen Marshall, among other diplomats.
Attacks on civilians
The government of Northern Bahr El Ghazal last week appealed to the national government to intervene and find a solution to the attacks by Misseriya on civilians.
Nine civilians and three soldiers were killed in an attack at Yinh Pobol village in Majiep Payam, Aweil East County.
“We appeal to the national government of South Sudan to put an end to these frequent attacks on our innocent civilians,” said William Anyuon Kuol, the Minister of Information and Communication in Northern Bahr Ghazal State.
Anyuon said the Misseriya attacks on civilians had been continuous since December 30, 2021, resulting in the death of 15 people. The Misseriya reportedly left their wounded horses, 10 AKM rifles, and 2 rocket-propelled grenades.
“The Misseriya militiamen sneaked into the village at night with the intention of killing and looting the properties of innocent civilians,” William said.
“On December 30, 2021, they entered the farm and killed one person in his house, and our people killed two from the side of the attackers at Warguet. On the same day, they attacked Warguet Payam and claimed the lives of four civilians, including a 5-year-old child.”
The state government condemned the attack, calling it “a clear breach of the 2012 Cooperation Agreement between South Sudan and Sudan in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.”
