Fighting broke out in recent days between the SPLA and a rebel group in Kajo Keji county of South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state resulting in at least three civilians killed, a church leader said.
Anglican Rt. Rev. Anthony Poggo said in a statement that gunfire erupted a few metres from the market in Kansuk, Nyepo Payam while traders and civilians were busy buying and selling goods.
Poggo said the shooting forced people to scatter and at least one military pick-up was burned.
The church leader said that by Saturday evening there were over 1500 people displaced in the county, sheltering in different schools and churches, including hundreds of unaccompanied children.
He said the army is appealing for civilians to return to their homes, and the county authorities called an emergency meeting Sunday to care for the displaced and interface with the military to calm the situation.
“Our appeal as a Church is to urge our government and those in opposition to restrain from military action during to give peace a chance,” Poggo said. “We are also appealing to humanitarian organizations, the Red Cross, the UN agencies to quickly move in to give the humanitarian assistance needed especially for the children and the elderly.”
Poggo said the displaced in schools need to be relocated so classes can resume. He also called for delivieries of tents, blankets, medicine, food, and water.