On the 21st of October, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported some information concerning the conflict situation in South Sudan, specifically in the Great Upper Nile, which is preventing humanitarian assistance to reach people in need; the situation is even worse because civilians here have also been experience the devastation caused by the flooding of the River. Specifically, the organization has indicated that, since the beginning of the conflict in August, more than 40.000 people have been displaced in the region.
The worst thing is that these armed groups have been voluntarily targeting civilians and civilian infrastructures: in September, parties involved in the fighting intentionally targeted a makeshift displacement camp in Adidhiang in which primarily women and children took refuge. On this occasion, numerous civilians remained killed in the attacks, and several died while trying to escape as they were swept away by the floodwaters. In targeted zones like Malakal, both The Protection of Civilians (PoC) site and MSF hospital have been overwhelmed by the new wave of refugees, with more than 18,000 people seeking safety – while before it already hosted around 34,000 people.
MSF and other organizations on the ground are clearly running out of resources; all this considered, in the past few weeks Doctors Without Borders has been requesting that all armed parties to the conflict stop immediately targeting civilians and grant aid organizations access to deliver aid to those who are in dire need.
To read more, visit:
- https://www.msf.org/conflict-greater-upper-nile-impeding-humanitarian-aid-thousands-people-already-devastated-flooding
- https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/conflict-greater-upper-nile-impedes-assistance-people-already-devastated-flooding
- https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/floods-rage-amid-war-in-south-sudan-upper-nile-3998372
- https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2022/10/635251694/devastation-south-sudan-following-fourth-year-historic-floods.html
by Alexia Tenneriello
