At least two people have been confirmed dead and one left injured in the renewed attacks between the Acholi and Madi over the land wrangles.
The deceased persons were reportedly attacked in the early hours of Monday morning in Lianguru village, Fuda Parish in Pakele Sub-County, Adjumani district by men armed with machetes, bows, and arrows.
Security personnel have identified those killed only as Juliano Taku 57 and Drani Arikanjelo, all Madi tribesmen and residents of Lianguru village.
According to reports, the attack started on Sunday after a group of 30 men attacked the Acholi community in Kalacut village.
The assailants reportedly invaded the home of a local farmer identified only as Akekwa, undressed him, and tied him up on a tree before burning his hut and 15 others and later injuring another person on the buttocks.
The Acholi community reportedly retaliated on Monday and attacked the Madi community in Lianguru village killing two people and destroying several properties.
Charles Okoya, the LCI Chairperson of Apaa Village however explained that the attacks began last week when locals embarked on repairing a community access road ahead. He said when the locals reached an area occupied by the Madi Community, they were confronted adding that three boda boda riders were arrested and tied to a tree.
Okoya also claimed that while security estimates 16 huts have been torched, more than 200 grass-thatched houses were destroyed in a weekend attack by yet-to-be-identified armed men accompanied by soldiers.
According to Okoya, hundreds of people have since been displaced and many others are fleeing for fear of further attacks.
The attack comes just less than three months after six people were killed and 11 others injured in an attack by unknown assailants in Te-Okono village between Acholi ber and Punu Dyang Parish in the disputed Apaa land. Three of the deceased hailed from Central Uganda while three others were Madi tribesmen.
The 4th Infantry Division Spokesperson, Capt. Hassan Ahmed Kato confirmed the incident on Tuesday saying the army has commenced an investigation.
Capt. Kato says the security has been beefed up northward of Pabbo Sub-County to avert further violence and restore calmness and called on the locals to cooperate with security.
Efforts by the government, political, religious, and traditional leaders to quell the tension between the communities of Acholi and the Madi have over the years been unsuccessful.
In August this year, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni commissioned the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Apaa land conflicts headed by retired chief justice Bart Katureebe as a last resort to solve the land conflicts. The commission is however yet to kick start their works on the ground.
