At least 23 people have been killed and 52 others injured during fresh tribal violence in the western South Sudanese town of Tonj over the weekend, a local government official said on Monday.

The violence started on Friday after four local pastoralists from the rival Dinka tribe were killed during a foiled cattle raid, Tonj State Minister of Information James Ayiik Dak told Xinhua by phone.

Dak said the community of the slain herders launched a counter attack on a neighboring community which they suspected to have carried out the failed raid, leading to scores of causalities.

He said calm has since returned to the region after a joint military force made of army soldiers and police was deployed.

"After the clashes ended on Aug. 11, we confirmed a total of 23 people dead and 52 wounded from both sides," Dak said. "Calm has returned to the area and there is no major security threat."

For decades, livestock-related violence has been a major challenge among pastoralist communities in South Sudan as thousands of people are estimated to have been killed in violent cattle raids.

Xinhua