About 25,000 people have been displaced in the past three days by intense fighting between government troops and the Agwelek forces around the town of Kodok, international medical charity said on Thursday.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said the humanitarian organisations that have up until now been providing essential medical services, water, food, non-food items and shelter have had to temporarily suspend activities on the west bank of the Nile because of the increasing insecurity.
“This is a disaster in the making, just as the demand is greatest,” says Marcus Bachmann, the Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders (MSF) head of mission for South Sudan, adding that hospitals in the area are not operational, and water deliveries are unreliable.
“Yesterday (Wednesday) no water deliveries were made to the IDPs because of the fighting. Given the scorching heat and the exposure of population to the elements, soon we will see people suffering from chronic dehydration and diarrhoea as well as diseases like cholera.”
The medical charity pointed out that escaping the violence is difficult as positions are rapidly changing hands between the different forces, and displaced people find themselves surrounded on all sides.
It further said without protection, many will have little other alternative than to leave for camps in Sudan where they can find refuge. The organization added that those who decide to go, face an arduous journey on foot, lasting many days, with hardly any opportunities to receive food or water.
“We are calling on both parties to ensure that all civilians are protected from the fighting and provided with safe and secure access to essential humanitarian services,” said Marcus.