The spokesman of the UN Secretary-General has reported that some United Nations and NGO aid workers were targeted in recent violence in Juba, where the situation has been mostly calm since Tuesday.
At a press conference at the UN Headquarters in New York today, Stephane Dujarric disclosed that one international NGO staff member was raped in Juba during the latest spate of violence.
“The Mission has further received highly disturbing reports [of] targeting of UN and international NGO personnel, premises and assets in Juba allegedly by SPLA soldiers, during the fighting that erupted in the last few days,” he said.
“The reports include allegations of a killing of at least one South Sudanese national working for an international NGO, as well as rapes, including of an International NGO staff.”
No further details were made available about the reported rape. But the killing that he mentioned was likely a reference to the the reported killing of a journalist and radio manager who had worked for Internews.
Dujarric added that UN staff members have also been “assaulted,” condemning these attacks in the strongest terms.
“We call on the national authorities to investigate these serious allegations immediately and thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice. The Mission is also looking into these incidents, including its own response,” he said.