Tore Community Leader Calls for Return of Raided Cattle

(TORE PAYAM, YEI RIVER COUNTY) – A prominent community leader in Tore Payam of Yei River County is appealing to county and state authorities, as well as leaders of the Mundari community, to ensure the peaceful return of raided livestock belonging to local residents.

Ali Hassan Juma, Chairperson of the Tore Community, said hundreds of animals — including cows, goats, and sheep owned by residents of Goli and Adio bomas were raided and driven away last week.

According to Ali, armed Mundari cattle herders have continued to terrorize villages throughout the past week and into Tuesday morning, creating fear, displacement, and anger among local communities.

Some of the stolen livestock reportedly belong to Emmanuel Christian University, progressive farmer Juma David Augustine, and the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Yei.

Call for Peaceful Resolution:

Speaking in Arabic, Ali Hassan Juma emphasized the community’s desire for peace:

“I am speaking on behalf of the Tore community because what the Mundari herders did to the people of Tore over the last five days is not good at all. We do not want bloodshed or fighting in Tore. What they took from the people of Tore should be returned to the rightful owners in Goli and Adio through the government.”

Ali noted that Tore residents are working toward peaceful coexistence and rebuilding their livelihoods through agriculture following years of instability.

He further stressed that roaming cattle herders are destroying crops in the villages, warning that this could lead to serious food insecurity in the area. He strongly condemned the raids and called on county and state authorities to intervene urgently.

Official Response:

On Sunday, 16 February 2026, the Yei Civil Society Forum strongly condemned ongoing cattle raids in several villages across Yei River County, urging county, state, and national governments to ensure protection of civilians and their property.

On Monday, 16 February 2026, the Commissioner of Yei River County, Emmanuel Taban Seme, confirmed the incident in a press statement. He reported that more than 200 head of cattle were raided, two South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) soldiers were killed, and two others injured.

The commissioner announced that the county government has formed a mobile security task force to track down the perpetrators.

A week earlier, the Central Equatoria State Security Committee had resolved to peacefully evict cattle herders back to their areas of origin, a move aimed at restoring peaceful coexistence between farming and pastoral communities.