Over 200 killed in S. Sudan ethnic clashes March 12, 2012 - 21:25 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Fierce ethnic clashes over cattle rustling killed more than 200 people in South Sudan at the weekend, and hundreds more were abducted in the troubled fledgling nation, a state governor said Monday, March 12, AFP reported. The latest attacks appear to be reprisals for a wave of ethnic violence and cattle raids in the same area in January when an 8,000-strong militia razed villages and massacred people in their wake. There has been no independent confirmation of the death toll in a region where such numbers often vary dramatically. The area is very remote with few roads and no mobile network. The International Medical Corps, an aid agency in Akobo, a county in Jonglei, said it had treated 63 people evacuated after a five-hour boat journey. It said a medical team had seen "the bodies of people killed in the fighting." The UN has yet to release a death toll for the January attacks by Lou Nuer youths on Murle villages, and a speedily produced figure from the commissioner of Pibor county of 3,000 dead remains unverified. A state-wide disarmament campaign to collect some 20,000 guns in Jonglei started on Monday, but Manyang said a promised buffer zone between the warring communities had "not been established" as troops still needed to set up camps and drill wells. The last wave of ethnic violence in Jonglei in December and January affected an estimated 120,000 people, according to Lise Grande, the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator for the fledgling nation. Impoverished Jonglei has seen a dramatic escalation of bloody attacks between rival ethnic groups over cattle raids and abductions of people. UN teams are also entering areas where reprisal attacks have since taken place on Lou Nuer and Dinka tribes, with the government estimating that some 150 people have been killed in a series of revenge raids. Concerns are growing for the stability of grossly underdeveloped South Sudan, which declared independence last July after decades of war with the now rump state of Sudan.   Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads.   Partner news |  Latest news Cyprus parliament honors Armenian genocide victims  Acting House President Zacharias Koulias noted that April 24 marks the “black anniversary” of the Armenian genocide.Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed.Azerbaijan razes historic Armenian church to ground Azerbaijan has demolished the historic Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist (known as Kanach Zham).Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skills |
