The UN Mission in South Sudan has responded to a newspaper report accusing its peacekeepers of standing by idly while rebel forces attacked ethnic Dinkas under UN protection in Malakal.

An article published by The Juba Telegraph in the newspaper's Friday edition accused UNMISS of ethnic bias and political favoritism in the wake of an attack in which six people were wounded and one killed at the Malakal protection site.

“According to the article's unnamed source, UNMISS personnel recovered the body of the slain IDP but took no measures to attend to the wounded residents of the PoC site. In fact, all of the wounded IDPs were rushed to the UNMISS hospital in Malakal and a clinic operated by the non-governmental organiation Medecins sans Frontieres at the Mission's compound to receive immediate medical attention,” UNMISS said in a press statement.

MSF separately confirmed treating the people wounded in the incident.

“UNMISS peacekeepers also returned fire against suspected members of the opposition forces who shot into the PoC site on Wednesday afternoon,” the UN statement adds.

The peacekepeing mission says that it is impartial in the current conflict and provides protection t all unarmed civilians facing a threat of physical violence, regardless of their ethnic background.

“UNMISS once again calls on all media outlets to refrain from disseminating baseless accusations and disinformation that only serve to polarize Soth Sudanese society along ethnic lines,” the statement adds.