Recent attacks by the SPLA-IO faction have imperiled the supply line to refugee camps hosting 85,000 Sudanese refugees in Pariang County in northern Unity State, South Sudan.
The offensive launched in Unity State by the SPLA-IO troops on Wednesday could result in a huge financial cost to humanitarian agencies, owing to the need to airlift or airdrop food and other supplies to the refugees.
“Airlifting is very expensive and it eats into our budgets, and therefore we need more support from different donors to ensure that they deliver humanitarian aid for refugees and also host community,” said a UNHCR official in Unity State.
The official told Radio Tamazuj that food stocks and fuel stocks were already low before the latest fighting, owing to the poor condition of roads between Juba and northern Unity State.
But he said that the World Food Programme had already carried out sufficient airlifts for refugees to have enough food through the coming month of November.
“I have talked with WFP, we are assured of November – already the food they are dropping in Yida will… cover for the refugees for November. And airlifts of food will continue until that time when the road transportation will be possible,” he said.
Just over 85,000 refugees are living in Pariang County, according to UNHCR data on the populations of Yida and Adjoung Tok camps.
SPLA-Juba forces occupy Pariang County, SPLA-North control parts of neighboring South Kordofan to the north, the Sudan Armed Forces control Hejlij area to the west, and SPLA-IO are present in Guit and Rubkona counties to the south.
Another 47,000 people at the ‘Protection of Civilians’ site in Bentiu are also cut off from supplies. Even the airstrip has been inacessible the last two days owing to fighting.
Photo: SPLA-Juba faction controls Pariang County