A convoy consisting of peacekeepers and civilians came under fire when it stopped briefly to interact with a civilian in Rubkway, about 20 kilometers north of Leer town in Unity region on Monday morning, according to the UN mission.
The UN mission said in a press release extended to Radio Tamazuj that the incident occurred when its team was on a short patrol from the mission’s Leer Temporary Operations Base to Thaker, in Mayendit County.
No one was injured in the incident, and so far, no damage to the vehicles has been identified, according to the mission.
“UNMISS strongly condemns this attack against its personnel and calls on all parties to respect the freedom of movement of UN personnel carrying out their mandate, and to cooperate with the peacekeepers as they work to protect civilians; monitor human rights; create a conducive environment for delivery of humanitarian aid, and support efforts to restore peace,” UNMISS said.
The mission said it continues to engage with local authorities and to urge the warring parties to stop the fighting and adhere to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed by all parties just over five months ago.
The Leer area has been the scene of heightened insecurity in recent weeks, as humanitarian agencies working in the area continue to report that more people are still fleeing for their lives amid sharp escalation in fighting and attacks on civilians.