Jonglei authorities begin blood compensation after Pieri clash kills two SSPDF soldiers
BOR – Authorities in South Sudan’s Jonglei State have begun a traditional blood compensation process following the killing of two soldiers from the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) during a clash with armed youth in Pieri town of Uror County earlier this week, as local officials seek to prevent the incident from escalating into wider violence.
The compensation initiative comes after a confrontation that left two members of the government soldiers dead and briefly heightened tensions in an area already affected by insecurity linked to the conflict between SSPDF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO).
Speaking to Sudans Post on Friday, Uror County Commissioner James Gatkhor Gatluak described the incident as an isolated misunderstanding between government soldiers and armed local youth, insisting it should not be viewed as part of the ongoing military confrontations between the SSPDF and SPLA-IO in parts of Jonglei State.
“The incident which occurred two days ago was an isolated one, not intended. Now blood compensation is underway for the two soldiers killed,” Gatluak said.
In many parts of South Sudan, traditional blood compensation is used to ease tensions after killings and to help prevent cycles of revenge attacks. The practice typically involves negotiations between the families and communities involved under the guidance of local chiefs and elders.
Gatluak said local chiefs had already recovered firearms that were taken from the slain soldiers during the clash, describing the move as an important step toward restoring calm and rebuilding confidence between the local community and security forces.
According to the commissioner, the situation in Pieri has stabilized following the intervention of community leaders and local authorities.
A member of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly representing the area, Gatluak Reat, offered further details on how the confrontation unfolded. He said the violence was triggered after an armed youth fired shots into the air while celebrating the reported capture of Walgak in neighboring Akobo County by SPLA-IO forces.
Reat said an SSPDF soldier responded by shooting and wounding the youth, prompting other armed young men in the area to confront the government troops.
The exchange quickly escalated into a firefight.
“Two soldiers were killed, and the rest retreated. The situation was quickly resolved, and now there is calm in the area,” Reat said.
Neither the commissioner nor the lawmaker indicated whether any civilians or members of the armed youth group were killed during the clash, although Reat confirmed that the youth whose celebratory gunfire preceded the incident was wounded.
The incident occurred against the backdrop of heightened tensions in Jonglei State, where recent fighting between the SSPDF and SPLA-IO has raised security concerns in several counties. However, local authorities were keen to distinguish the Pieri confrontation from the broader conflict, saying it resulted from a localized misunderstanding rather than an organized military engagement.
Officials say traditional leaders continue to engage both the affected families and security authorities through the blood compensation process in an effort to ensure the incident does not trigger retaliatory violence and that peace is maintained in the area.