UNHCR: 100k displaced in South Sudan in 2 months
The United Nations refugee agency says heavy fighting in South Sudan has displaced more than 100,000 people over the past two months.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement on Tuesday that renewed fighting in the states of Unity and Upper Nile has blocked humanitarian aid delivery for nearly 650,000 people and aid organizations have been forced to withdraw their staff from conflict-hit regions.
“It’s estimated that more than 3.8 million people, representing a third of South Sudan’s population of 11 million, do not have sufficient food,” the statement said.
Since the beginning of 2015, more than 60,000 South Sudanese have fled the country, mostly to Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda, the UN agency said, adding that continuous fighting and food scarcity were the main reasons behind the displacement.
“UNHCR offices in Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda have all reported sharp increases in arrivals during May,” it said.
The UN refugee agency also said its aid program for South Sudan still lacks funding, which it says leaves many lifesaving activities such as the provision of clean water, sanitation and health services, food and shelter severely underfunded.
On May 12, the spokesman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, said the office had received reports of widespread killings, rape, abduction and looting of cattle and other property in South Sudan.
South Sudan gained independence in July 2011 after its people overwhelmingly voted in a referendum for a split from Sudan.
The world’s newest country plunged into chaos in December 2013. Fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and defectors led by his former deputy and current rebel leader Riek Machar has escalated in recent weeks with reports of rampant atrocities particularly in Unity State.
MRA/HSN
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