“And more and more people are fleeing as the conflict intensifies,” said Arafat Jamal, UNHCRRepresentative of the youngest country in the world, said in a Press Release.
At least 3,000 people have fled to neighboring Sudan – further escalating the refugee crisis in South Sudan, already the biggest crisis in Africa.
‘Civilians attacked’
“Civilians are being attacked in this ruthless conflict; We must ensure their protection,” the UN official stressed.
Fighting broke out in the village of Tonga on the Nile on August 15. Violence has since spread further to the northern regions of the states of Jonglei and Unity.
And now, conflict is spreading throughout the Upper Nile district of Fashoda, threatening the town of Kodok.
Some stay hidden
Women, children and others at high risk make up the majority of displaced people.
Some who were unable to flee, including the elders, hid in the bushes during the raids and along the White Nile.
Civilians on the run are visibly hurt and report murders, injuries, gender-based violence, kidnapping, extortion, looting, and property burning.
Many have lost their homes and been separated from their families.
Last month, Mr. Jamal led an interdisciplinary visit to the site of the island of Adidiang, located about 40 kilometers south of the state capital Malakal.
Under the protection of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (MISS), the site was originally set up nearly 10 years ago to host up to 12,000 internally displaced people.
Today it has a capacity of about 37,000 souls – already overcrowded even before the recent arrivals.
This is the first UN visit to the camp since the September 7 attack, when some 4,000 civilians sheltering there were forced to flee to Malakal.
Survivors of the Adidiang attack reported that dozens of people were killed or injured, while others drowned in the river trying to escape.
‘Attack pattern’
On Sunday, UNHCR led another interdisciplinary delegation to Diel in Jonglei.
Mr Jamal said: “In both Adidiang and Diel, we have seen the consequences of brutal violence.
“It’s heartbreaking to see a clear pattern of attacks on civilians and their homes.”
In Diel, north of Jonglei, some displaced people are returning to their burned-out villages and homes. Some are forced to eat aquatic wildlife to survive.
Boost feedback
South Sudan has struggled to end violence between armed groups and military forces since the so-called revived Peace Agreement brokered by the IGAD regional bloc, between the President and his main rival. , signed in 2018. Implementation has been slow.
Women at a WFP food distribution site in Agok, in the Abyei Administrative Region in South Sudan.
UNHCR, together with UN partners and NGOs, has broadened the scope of its response to provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable with shelter, relief supplies , security services, cash and other support.
Now with riverboats to improve mobility, UNHCR can now reach everyone faster and easier, including those in remote and hard-to-reach areas.
spiral going down
Despite UNHCR’s support in de-escalating tensions and promoting peace, the situation continues to deteriorate.
Armed conflict, local violence, severe flooding, food insecurity and growing economic instability have left 6.8 million people in need of urgent life-saving aid.
As more and more people flee violence, demand is growing and UNHCR is ramping up its response amid severe funding shortfalls.
By the end of November, only 46% of the $214.8 million needed this year had been received.
The ‘terrible’ effects
At the same time, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator provisionalPeter Van der Auweraert, note that the humanitarian community in South Sudan is “appalled by the continued violence that has a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary women, men and children”.
In Fashoda County, Upper Nile State, a recent surge in violence has displaced more than 9,100 people.
The clashes that broke out in mid-November also resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians, the abduction of women and children, destruction of property and livelihoods, as well as reported incidents of gender-based violence.
Working ’round the clock’
Since the start of the crisis, more than 2,300 people have arrived at the Malakal Civilian Protection site – adding pressure to its already limited capabilities.
Local respondents indicated that at least 75 percent of the estimated 5,000 people displaced to Melut County from Manyo County are women and children, many of whom have been separated from their caregivers. .
“Humanitarian partners are working tirelessly, around the clock, on multiple front lines to provide those newly evacuated with critical supplies and services,” said Mr. Van der Auweraert.
“Hateful acts must cease immediately to alleviate human suffering and prevent further loss of innocent lives.”
