At least 423 humanitarian incidents were reported across South Sudan in July, according to OCHA, the highest number in a month for more than a year.
The UN agency says that humanitarian compounds, supplies, and convos were attacked in many parts of the country after recent fighting across the country.
“The repeated looting of life-saving humanitarian supplies undermines the ability of aid organizations to reach people in need across the country,” OCHA said in an update.
Two aid workers were expelled by state-level authorities and aid organizations were forced to withdraw their staff from Juba and field locations after clashes in the capital. In recent weeks, the governemnt has cracked down on humanitarian operations, at times limiting food drops from WFP, and imposing restrictions on UN workers entering the country.
The Equitorias appear to be a particularly troubled region for humanitarian operations. A map from OCHA shows Central Equitoria littered with hotspots. On August 11th, humanitarian organizations were unable to deliver food to refugees in Lasu after armed men stopped a convoy, OCHA said. Around 12,000 people have been displaced in 35 locations across Central Equitoria, OCHA said, and 9,300 have been displaced from Western Equitoria.