About 1,000 people displaced by last week’s clashes in parts of Akoka County in Upper Nile State are in dire need of humanitarian assistance after their homes and livelihoods were destroyed.
At least 11 people were killed, 10 others injured while villages of Pamaikur, Anyangnyang, and Winanei torched following an attack suspected to have been carried out by heavily armed White Army militiamen on Tuesday and Wednesday last week.
According to local authorities and the army, the motive behind the attack remains unknown but investigations are ongoing.
“Fighting started in the Pananei area. The attackers then went on invading and burning the areas of Moljok, Pamaiker, Wunbic, and Anyangnyang. As we run for our lives, we only carried our children. We left behind food and clothes. Here in Akoka town, as you can see, we are just suffering in the open without food,” Awic Monytong, a displaced resident of Anyangnyang told Radio Tamazuj Monday.
Mrs. Awic, a mother of five, is pleading with the government and aid agencies in the country to intervene by supporting them with food and shelter.
Wai Thielbuong, the acting Akoka County commissioner, said the displaced mostly women and children arrived in the area of Akoka since Wednesday last week.
“Food items were either burnt or looted. Cattle raided, and even the cooking utensils were taken by the attackers. These people, about 1,000 came with nothing at hand. The humanitarian situation is very dire. We want a humanitarian intervention before the situation turns to worse,” he said.
For his part, James Majok, the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) deputy director for Upper Nile State, also decried the humanitarian situation in parts of Akoka County as dire, and urgently pleaded with the government and aid agencies in the country to provide much-need emergency support to the displaced.
“For now, emergency support like food and shelter is necessary. As we speak, Akoka is cut off from the rest of the state due to the floods. Last week, only MSF went there and evacuated the wounded. Today, we plan to go to Akoka to carry out a full needs assessment,” he said.