Nearly 25,000 citizens in Wau Shilluk area on the west bank of the Nile River in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State are experiencing deteriorating humanitarian conditions, an aid worker based in Upper Nile said.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, the source who preferred anonymity attributed the problem to a government blockade. He further said humanitarian organizations could not reach the area in order to provide services since May after General Johnson Olony rebelled against the government in Juba.

His remarks come after the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported last week that aid access to the Wau Shilluk area has only recently been restored, without providing details on the level of services provided to the area.

The source stressed that about 25,000 people in Wau Shilluk badly need food and other services. He pointed out the humanitarian organizations are trying to persuade the government in Upper Nile to allow access for humanitarian assistance. Restrictions on access and concerns for humanitarian staff safety have limited delivery of aid to many parts of Upper Nile state.