Thousands of citizens fleeing escalating violence in parts of the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) are in dire need of food and shelter.

The displaced, currently sheltering in the GPAA capital, Pibor town, fled their homes in parts of Gumuruk and Likuangole counties following attacks by heavily armed Jonglei youth on Friday last week.  

Popo Gogo, one of the displaced, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday, “I arrived in Pibor town on Friday at 6 pm. We are very many. We left behind everything else. All my cows have been taken. Of course, when we get settled, we will need food. But for now, I am still on the run.”

According to reports, there are currently more than 3,000 people mainly women and children, sheltering in schools and the open in Pibor. 

Another displaced person who identified herself only as Adut said, “The enemy forces have invaded our villages. I came to Pibor town with my 6 children yesterday (Monday). Now, we are just in the open, we tried to shelter at one of the schools but people there chased us away because children attend classes. We need plastic sheets and shelter.”

Juma Lodut, who was displaced from the Gumuruk area said the clashes are spreading to remote villages and called on the national government to intervene. 

For his part, Nyabok Ngali, the GPAA Secretary-General, said they started receiving the displaced people on Friday but that they are unable to assess because people arrive in their hundreds daily as clashes spread to Gumuruk County. 

Nyinginga Okano Kiro, the area’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) director, appealed to the national government and aid agencies operating in the country to intervene by providing for the 3,000 displaced people food and shelter.