Nearly 20 people including children and the elderly died recently among the conflict-affected families who fled to the bush due to security fears after last month clashes in Lainya County in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state, a relief official said.
“Children have died and elderly people also died in the forest, the problem is that there was no way to provide treatment, the number could reach 20 people” he said.
Al-Sadiq Augustino, Director of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Lainya, told Radio Tamazuj that hundreds of displaced families are still living in the bush, amid dire humanitarian conditions.
He further said citizens were experiencing shortages of food and medicines in the area. The humanitarian official added that roads connecting Lainya County with neighbouring areas were closed.
“Now Lainya is cut off, there is no way to go to Yei, there is no way to Juba, there is no way even to Uganda, the area is cut off “said Augustino.
Augustino appealed to the two warring parties to reopen the roads and facilitate transportation of aid assistance to the needy people, while urging the government and the armed opposition group to stop fighting.
“Peace is very important, when there is peace, the organizations will come to provide relief to the citizens, so peace should be the priority “he stressed.