The Government of Unity State has repatriated over 900 civilians who were stranded in the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) camp in Abyei after repeated clashes between the Ngok Dinka and the Bul Nuer youths in the Abyei Administrative area, an official said.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Sunday evening, Luka Chierey Kuich, the commissioner of Mayom County, said the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were repatriated by the county authorities in collaboration with the state government.
He said 943 civilians were repatriated from Abyei and that some women and children who ran to the UNISFA compound in Amiet Payam of the Abyei Administrative Area are yet to be returned to Mayom.
“The repatriation of the IDPs stranded in the UNISFA camp in Abyei started on Wednesday and 943 civilians were transported from Abyei to Mayom town and they arrived safely. Those in Abyei’s Amiet Payam will hopefully be brought this week,” he said.
“The state government and the authorities in the county are now providing food and non-food items to the returnees.”
Commissioner Chierey stated that the state government is coordinating the safe return of the displaced people in Amiet with the Abyei government.
The returning civilians are part of the people who were displaced by floods from Mayom County and other areas of Unity State in 2021.
The returnees were welcomed by Unity State Governor Dr. Joseph Manytuil and Mayom County Commissioner Luka Chierey.