South Sudan’s say an urgent civilian disarmament is necessary to mitigate inter-communal violence in the country.
Lul Koang, spokesperson for South Sudan People’s Defense Forces, said the new army Chief Santino Deng Wol had kicked off a disarmament exercise across the country, particularly in the state experiencing tribal conflicts.
He said that disarmament would help the nation to get rid of illegal arms in the hands of civilians, added that sub-national violence would also be reduced.
The remarks came after seven people were killed on Monday during a cattle-related fighting in Pigi County in Jonglei State, eastern South Sudan.
South Sudan was awash with illegal guns in the hands of civilians following decades of civil war to demand independence from Sudan.
According to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, inter-communal violence and revenge killing remained the biggest security threat in the world’s youngest republic since the decline of political violence in September 2018.
