Nearly 10,000 people from Kimodi, Diogi, Yangi, Kinedi, Kangi and Uliang villages have arrived in Bunj following repeated rebel attacks on their homes, according to Maban County Commissioner Saad Allah Luk Deng.

The influx of people has come over the past month, he said, and forced officials to close schools and use the facilities to accommodate the new arrivals.

“When they came to the town here, students were given a holiday so that the displaced people can be accommodated in the schools,” he said.

Humanitarian groups have distributed tents to the conflict-affected families, but many were washed away when the nearby Yabus River flooded.

Separately, Deng said that a refugee from Blue Nile state was killed in a revenge attack in Maban County on Sunday. Officials believe this attack followed the killing of a many from the host community last week.

Police officers are now investigating the incidents, but warned that the violence could spiral out of control.

File photo