Health workers supported by organized forces are seen covering dead bodies with plastic sheet near Tambura town in August 2021 | Credit | Courtesy

Local authorities in Tambura County, Western Equatoria State, say they have discovered at least 42 dead bodies in the last seven days.

They are bodies of people presumed to have been killed during weeks of violence in the area.

The fighting also resulted in the death of Babiro Charles Gbamisi, former commissioner of Tambura County.

Thousands have been displaced to Tambura town and the nearby Counties of Ezo and Yambio.

According to the county commissioner, most of those killed were people returning to their deserted homes.

“Within these seven days, we managed to discover at least 42 dead bodies and we are still collecting more dead bodies,” Mathew Mabenge told Eye Radio on Tuesday.

He disclosed that the estimated number of people killed between June and August is now 170.

“But before that, there were about 162 plus eight dead bodies, which are equal to 170,” Mabenge continued.

The conflict has affected areas such as Source Yubu, Bazande, Akpa, Mabenge, Kpatanayo, among other locations.

Local officials say it is being instigated by area politicians based in Juba.

Last week, women displaced by the violence in Tambura said the national government has been silent over the killing, looting, and destruction of property.

Mabenge also said the intervention from the government has been slow and ineffective.

“They are saying it is a tribal conflict, it is not their mandate. They cannot involve and they cannot do anything,” the commissioner added.

On Friday, the government resolved to relocate SPLA-IO and other forces out of Tambura County to ease the ongoing violence in the area.

The resolution was unveiled after a meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir and attended by First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar and leaders from Western Equatoria State on Friday.

Religious leaders have often called on the state and national governments to address the rapid increase and expansion of the breakdown of the law and order in Tambura.