2 bouts of violence in South Sudan kill 12; 7 children abducted

JUBA, South Sudan – Officials in South Sudan say two separate bouts of violence have killed 12 people.

Taban Deng Gai, the governor of Unity state, said Monday that cattle rustlers attacked a village on Sunday, killing 11 people and wounding eight. Gai said more than 50 cattle were stolen. South Sudan has a long history of cattle-raiding, attacks that have grown in frequency and deadliness since South Sudan declared its independence from Sudan in 2011.

In another part of the country gunmen abducted seven children and a woman from a village in Jonglei state over the weekend. One child was killed.

Barnaba Okony Gilo, a government official from the region, said witnesses said the gunmen wore South Sudanese military uniforms. The military said the attack was carried out by criminals wearing military uniforms.