OCHA confirms 78 dead in militia attack in South Sudanese Warrap State - South Sudanese authorities have reported that an unknown militia group from Unity State attacked a cattle camp in Warrap’s Tonj East County on 28 January, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said here Friday.

It pointed out that 'initial reports indicated that 78 people were killed in the incident, over 68 people were wounded and some 17,400 heads of cattle seized, according to local authorities. Nine people are reportedly missing.'

It explained that an inter-agency assessment on 28 January reported that an estimated 3,000 people were displaced to surrounding villages and that some 40,000 people had been affected because their livestock was stolen. The immediate needs of those affected are food, water, medicine and non-food items.

On 1 February, local authorities came together in neighboring Mayendit town in Unity State in an inter-county peace initiative meeting, apparently to discuss the Warrap attack.

Clashes broke out nearby, the cause of which is still being investigated.

Initial figures indicate that 12 people were killed and 25 wounded in the incident, according to United Nations Missions in South  Sudan (UNMISS), OCHA said.

It reported that while an unknown number of civilians reportedly fled to the bush, a UN team on the ground at the time to assist in resolution efforts was caught in the crossfire.

One UN staff member, who was shot, has been hospitalised.

Pana 04/02/2012