At least 50,000 have been displaced in South Sudan due to clashes between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar. The violence is threatening peace agreements and humanitarian services, with a cholera outbreak reported in Akobo County. OCHA officials emphasize the need for safe access for humanitarian aid.
Recent clashes in South Sudan have displaced at least 50,000 individuals since February, primarily due to violent confrontations between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar in northwest regions, as reported by a UN agency. The ongoing tensions are centered in Nasir County, Upper Nile State, jeopardizing a delicate peace-sharing agreement established in 2018.
Anita Kiki Gbeho from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that the violence is exacerbating risks for vulnerable communities and halting essential humanitarian services. Notably, an air strike by the government in Nasir resulted in 20 fatalities, including children, according to area commissioner James Gatluak.
Out of the displaced population, approximately 10,000 individuals have fled to Ethiopia. Furthermore, 23 humanitarian workers have also been compelled to evacuate the area, leading to the closure of a cholera treatment unit in Nasir. Gbeho emphasized the urgent need for safe humanitarian access to affected populations, particularly women, children, and the elderly.
Last week, Doctors Without Borders reported 1,300 cholera cases in the Upper Nile’s Akobo County. This fighting threatens the fragile peace agreement between Kiir and Machar, especially after a five-year civil war that resulted in an estimated 400,000 deaths. Kiir’s supporters assert that Machar’s forces, in alliance with the White Army—a group of armed youth from Machar’s Nuer ethnic community—are inciting further unrest in Nasir County.
Tensions escalated when around 6,000 White Army combatants overtook a military base in Nasir earlier this month. Attempts by the UN to manage the situation resulted in the death of a helicopter pilot and a senior South Sudanese general, highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the region.
The ongoing violence in South Sudan has led to significant displacement and humanitarian crises amid rising tensions between political factions. The situation raises urgent humanitarian needs and reflects the fragility of the peace agreements established following a devastating civil war. Continued monitoring and intervention are crucial to stabilizing the region and assisting those in dire need.
Original Source: www.wionews.com
