A young herdsman poses with a semi-automatic weapon. | Credit | AFP

A suspected cattle raider is under investigation in Warrap following an attack that killed eight people in Tonj North County over the weekend, the state authorities have said.

Nine people were also wounded in the attack.

This, the minister of information in the state, says occurred at the weekend when armed youth raided the area.

As a result, Ring Deng says the cattle owners went after the raiders with an intent to recover the hundreds of cows.

However, some people were later killed in the gunfight between the rustlers and the owners.

“It was on Saturday when gangs of thugs in Warrap town raided the cattle. The cattle owners ran after them and fought them, the cattle were recovered,” said Ring Deng.

“Eight people were killed in the fight, so six people from the group who had come and 2 people from the cattle owners.

“These gangs, we will arrest them. One is now in hospital. He is under the government’s control. He has to be treated first. So later on he will be investigated.’’