South Sudanese authorities last Friday and Saturday did not give security clearances to United Nations humanitarian flights to the Unity State capital and refugee camp Yida located in the north of the state.
According to a spokesperson of the World Food Programme, which runs the UN Humanitarian Air Service in South Sudan (UNHAS), flights to Rubkona (the twin city of Unity State’s capital Bentiu) and Yida were cancelled on Friday and Saturday “because we could not obtain security clearances.”
The spokesperson cited renewed fighting in parts of Unity State as the possible reason. However, Radio Tamazuj received no reports of fighting in the Unity State capital last Friday or Saturday.
An aid worker said that a staff member in their organization was scheduled to fly UNHAS on Friday. “He made it as far as Lakes State and had to turn around, and we were told they didn’t have landing permission, but the weather was okay. He was rescheduled for Saturday. They came [to the airport], checked in, but it was cancelled again, and since then the tickets have not been reissued,” said the source.