More than 41 relatives of suspected armed criminals from the Thuyic section of Maleng-agok Payam have been arrested over the revenge killing of two people from the Gony and Dhiei sections of Cuei-cok Payam in Lakes State’s Rumbek East County.

The latest wave of revenge killings happened on Sunday afternoon in Alel-cok village and came a year after peaceful coexistence by the neighboring communities.

It is not clear what triggered the renewed attacks and killings between the two sections after the local government resolved a 20-year-old feud that resulted in cyclic attacks that led to the killing of permanent paramount chiefs from both sides, Maker Mabor and Aparer Chut Dhuol, in 2002 and 2018 respectively.

The police spokesperson in Lakes State, Maj. Elijah Mabor Makuac said on Monday that calm had returned to the area and that security forces are pursuing the perpetrators and confirmed that more than 41 close relatives of the assailants are being held to help with investigations.

“The security situation is normal and our security forces are pursuing the perpetrators but they have not been found yet. The perpetrators who killed two people have been identified and they are being pursued by the security forces,” he said. “Since the intervention of the government, the relatives of the two deceased remain calm and they have left everything in the hand of the state government since they have witnessed the presence of security forces on the ground following the criminals.”

Maj. Mabor rubbished rumors that some chiefs had been detained.  

“No! I am not informed about the chiefs who have been arrested as a result of the incident but I am aware that investigations are ongoing that led to the arrest of more than 41 people and they shall be released when the suspected criminals are apprehended and brought to book,” he added.

Attempts to reach the commissioner of Rumbek East County, Mangar Machuol Malok, for comment about the incident, were futile as his known phone contacts were unreachable.