A village burnt during a communal attack in Abyei in April 2020. (File photo/Courtesy).

The number of people killed in an attack by the Misseriya tribesmen in Yith-Pabol area in Ajiep Payam of Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State has reportedly risen to 24. This is according William Anyuon Kuol the state information Minister.

On Tuesday, the commissioner in the area reported that at least nine people were killed in separate attacks by the armed Misseriya in the last five days.

However, authorities there say that 15 more people have been reported dead following fresh clashes in the last 24 hours.

The state has condemned repeated attacks on innocent civilians and calls on the national government to engage neighboring authorities to resolve the crises.

“The Misseriya militiamen sneaked into the village at night with an intention to kill and loot properties of the innocent civilians”, a statement by Kuol partly read.

“We appeal to the national government to put an end to these repeated attacks by the misseriya armed men”, he adds.

locals in in the Bahr el Ghazal region have clashed with the Misseriya tribesmen for years. Fighting there has been associated to wrangle over grazing land, water and pasture for animals.

Several peace conferences have been held in the area to resolve the conflict, but fighting continue being reported.