The Gambella Regional State authorities have announced that fifteen people have been detained in Jonglei Region of South Sudan on suspicion of involvement in violent attacks in Gambella region earlier this year.

One attack was on a bus en route to Gambella Technical College in March when 20 students lost their lives. The other was an attack on the Saudi Star farm in April when four Ethiopians and a Pakistani investor were killed.

The attacks, according to the region’s Vice-President, Gat Luwak were committed by members of a group calling itself the “Gambella Nilotic Union”.

According to Vice-President Luwak, the arrests came after a coordinated manhunt by federal and regional security forces, and South Sudan’s security forces played a major role in the hunt for the suspects.

He noted that this was possible because of the agreement between the Gambella Regional State and South Sudan to cooperate on control of cross-border criminal activity.

Source: A Week in the Horn – June 1, 2012 issue.

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Related: South Sudan hands 15 suspects to Ethiopia? [TheAfricaReport.com]

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