The U.S. Embassy in South Sudan has strongly condemned the recent targeted attacks on humanitarian workers and their compounds.
According to a press statement on Wednesday, the embassy condemned the attack, including those that have led to the deaths of three South Sudanese humanitarian workers and injury to others.
“We renew our call for South Sudan’s leaders to act with urgency to end subnational violence and to hold accountable those responsible for attacks targeting civilians and humanitarian organizations, as well as for abductions and other human rights violations,” the statement read. “We stand with all those who work for peace and stability in South Sudan.”
On Monday, the UN’s acting Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Peter Van der Auweraert, condemned last Wednesday’s attack on humanitarian workers and assets in Pibor, Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA).
On 18 January, several armed attackers broke into an international NGO compound in Pibor and beat up one humanitarian worker who eventually required medical attention. The attackers targeted the NGO looking for cash and other assets and stole valuables, according to a UN OCHA.
According to the UN, South Sudan is one the most dangerous places for aid workers, with nine humanitarian workers killed in the line of duty and 450 incidents reported in 2022, and already three humanitarian workers killed in 2023.
The UN estimate that 9.4 million of the most vulnerable people in South Sudan will need urgent life-saving assistance and protection in 2023, compared to 8.9 million in 2022.