Fighting between armed factions in Upper Nile displaces thousands – UN

JUBA – Thousands of people have been displaced in Upper Nile, Jonglei, and Unity states since mid-August following heavy fighting between armed factions in Tonga town and neighboring areas in Panyikang County of Upper Nile State.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Ms. Sara Beysolow Nyanti disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday following his recent visit to Adidyang and Malakal.

His field visit was to see for herself the impact of the violent clashes that have triggered large-scale displacement and exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation.

“The situation is very dynamic. Some people are moving from location to location with little to nothing, and with no food. People walked seven-twelve days, confronting large bodies of flood water. Some mothers have lost up to four children along the way,” said Nyanti said in a statement.

Nyanti said affected women, youth, and the elderly shared their harrowing stories of fleeing the violence and being separated from their loved ones.

She said that the humanitarian partners have swiftly mobilized available resources and provided life-saving assistance to meet urgent needs.

She added that despite the efforts made by humanitarian actors, the response remains constrained due to limited funding, access impediments, and insecurity.

“Deliveries of humanitarian supplies with barge movements are impacted by insecurity. Various entities moving along the supply routes are faced with illegal taxation at checkpoints,” she said.

She revealed that humanitarians are working across sectors to provide the much-needed support planned for some 18,000 to 21,000 vulnerable people in the next two months.

She added that they will provide displaced persons with shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, protection, health, food, and nutrition services.