More than 50 women and children who were abducted last year during inter-communal fighting in South Sudan's Jonglei State have been reunited with their families, the UN Mission in South Sudan said.
In a press statement extended to Radio Tamazuj, UNMISS said the reunification of the 58 persons was made possible following a community-led agreement between the Lou Nuer, Murle, and Dinka Bor communities.
At a recent peace conference in Pieri, the communities agreed to compensate lost lives and return abducted women and children.
UNMISS head David Shearer said: “Abductions are a horrific aspect of conflict in this area. However, the agreement reached to release abducted women and children is an essential step to build trust and avoid the cycle of revenge. I applaud all those involved for their efforts to reunite these innocent victims with their families.”
UNMISS added that the abductees receive support from Save the Children and local NGOs Grassroots Empowerment and Development Organization (GREDO) and Community Action Organization (CAO).
According to UNMISS, more than 600 women and children were abducted during the extreme violence between these communities in Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) between January and August 2020.
Efforts are continuing to return the remaining women and children under the UN’s Reconciliation, Stabilisation and Resilience Trust Fund.