A local organization in Wau Shilluk area which lies on the west bank territory of South Sudan’s Upper Nile State has called for urgent protection of nearly 24,000 civilians in the area.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj yesterday, Philip Lam Nyawela, Executive Director of Peace and Development Organization, called on the UN Mission in South Sudan to provide protection to the conflict-displaced people in Wau Shilluk area.

Lam pointed out that the displaced families desperately need protection, saying two traders who were on their way to the UN protection camp in Malakal town went missing over the past two weeks.

“They spent about 15 days, they have not yet arrived in the UN camp in Malakal, and they are not in Wau Shilluk here, so this is what happened, if there are no UN troops to protect them, it will be very difficult, we need UN peacekeepers,” said Lam.

Nyawela also called on the two warring parties to bring an end to the ongoing conflict.

Photo: A woman in Malakal, South Sudan in 2014 (Pulitzer Center/Ty McCormick)