Authorities in Warrap state on Thursday released three local chiefs who were detained over clashes in Rualbet Payam of Tonj North County to assist in the conduct of an investigation process into the incident.

Last month, the state government arrested the three chiefs for allegedly encouraging their armed youth to resist army orders of confiscating raided cattle from the Aliek community.

The resistance resulted in military confrontations and the death of about 18 senior and junior military officers.

Those killed included the Chief Intelligence of Division 11, Lt. Col. Akech Ciman, SSPDF Division 11 Military Chief for Operations Maj. Santino Kuot Kuotdit and the former Commissioner of Defunct Mayen Jur County Kuol Agok.

Seven armed youth were also killed during the fight.

Riding Deng Adiing, Warrap State Minister for Information told Radio Tamazuj that the chiefs were released on Thursday.

“The acting governor and a four-member security committee which was formed by the president to come and investigate the incident are still there in Tonj North County and the acting governor came to where there is a network and directed me to immediately release the three chiefs that were suspected of involvement in the incident and they were taken back to Rualbet for investigation,” Adiing said.

Meanwhile, Malek Agei, an area Member of the State Legislative Assembly representing the SPLM party constituency No. 22 said calm has returned following the deployment of security units there.

“The area of Rualbet Payam is out of communication network and land-locked at the same time because nobody is coming to Warrap town, the headquarters of the county. But some people who came from Wau said there is no more tension and what I know about the chiefs is that they were released from where state government arrested them in Kuajok prison,” he said.

Source: Radio Tamazuj