World

43 people killed in Sudan clashes

by Amitjha | August 29, 2009 at 03:33 am

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Last day i reported about the end of Drafur crisis in Northern Sudan, but that hope was momentary.Today in southern Sudan more than 43 people died in clashes. Authorities says that more than 50 are seriously wounded.

At least 43 people have been killed, including seven soldiers, and dozens wounded in clashes between troops and cattle rustlers in south Sudan, a military spokesman said on Saturday.

Gunmen attacked a small settlement in the Twic East region of Jonglei state early on Friday, said Major General Kuol Diem Kuol, of the southern Sudan People?s Liberation Army (SPLA).

"The men attacked at the settlement of Wernyol at 5:00 am with guns, coming to take the cattle, and to loot and steal.

Fighting then broke out between around 70 soldiers and the raiders, who are reported to come from the Lou Nuer ethnic group. The people of Wernyol are from the Bor Dinka group.

"In total there were at least 36 civilians who were killed, and more than 50 were wounded, some seriously," said Kuol.

"The situation is now calm, and the SPLA have deployed extra units to ensure security is maintained."

Clashes between rival ethnic groups in south Sudan break out frequently -- some sparked by cattle rustling and disputes over natural resources, others in retaliation for previous attacks.

More than 2,000 people have died and 250,000 been displaced in inter-tribal violence across southern Sudan since January, according to the United Nations, which says the rate of violent deaths now surpasses that in the war-torn western region of Darfur.

Under the deal that ended Africa's longest civil war, the south has a six-year transitional period of regional autonomy and takes part in a unity government until the 2011 referendum on self-determination.