Over 3 million are displaced by violence in South Sudan

The number of South Sudanese displaced by violence has reached more than 3 million people (a quarter of the population), the International Organization for Migration reported.

The number of South Sudanese displaced by violence has reached more than 3 million people (a quarter of the population), the International Organization for Migration reported.

“As the crisis in South Sudan enters its fourth year, the total number of civilians displaced has reached more than 3 million people,” IOM South Sudan said in a report.

The UN agency detailed that more than 1.87 million are displaced internally and over 1.1 million displaced to neighbouring countries.

The UN Refugee Agency reports that 414,500 South Sudanese have left the country since the surge in violence in July 2016.

The report pointed out that humanitarian space in South Sudan has continued to shrink, with the UN reporting more than 90 access constraint incidents in November, 70 per cent of which involved violence against aid workers or assets.

It added that relief agencies are continually denied access to populations in need, particularly in Greater Equatoria and outside of Wau town, Western Bahr el Ghazal.

“IOM continues to seek access to areas beyond Wau, where aid agencies have been unable to provide consistent assistance since July due to bureaucratic constraints and check-point blockages,” it added.