The United Nations on Wednesday launched emergency food airdrops to refugees in South Sudan’s Upper Nile State which lies along the border with Sudan and is densely packed with people who fled the conflict in Blue Nile.

Maban Commissioner John Juma Moti told Radio Tamazuj that the United Nations on Wednesday launched airdrops of corn in Jen Kuata and Maban in Upper Nile. He explained that the operations will last for eight days, and pointed out that the aid included wheat. He also added that the rest of the materials such as oil and other foodstuffs are going to be delivered by plane which will land at Doro airport.

The UN World Food Programme had announced plans for the airdrops earlier this month targeting Unity State and Upper Nile State which are hosting roughly 170,000 refugees. The head of WFP in South Sudan Chris Nikoi confirmed the beginning of operation yesterday in an interview with Reuters news agency. He said that the planes for the Maban operation are flying from a base in Gambella in Ethiopia.

A refugee in Maban on Wednesday however said that she was not aware the airdrop had happened. Areyia Ahmed Nureen who teaches at Doro camp basic school, told Radio Tamazuj that whatever WFP is claiming, they received no food up till now within the three camps of Sudanese refugees in the county.