Hundreds of conflict-affected people are reluctant to go back to their homes due to security fears after last month clashes in Lainya County in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria state, a relief official said.
Al Sadiq Augustino, Director of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Lainya, told Radio Tamazuj that hundreds of displaced families are currently living in the open in severe humanitarian conditions.
He further said citizens were experiencing shortages of food and medicines in the area, besides the security concerns. The humanitarian official added that the conflict-affected people refused to return back homes due to violations committed against them during fighting.
“Since the outbreak of the conflict between the SPLA-IO and the government, the people fled from the area “said Augustino. “So due to some atrocities committed by the warring parties, the people still fear to go back to the town because some of their houses were destroyed, shops were looted and people were killed” he added.
Augustino claimed that the government is still controlling Lainya County. However, he said loyal forces are still in trenches, which shows that the fighting could erupt at any time.