A WFP boat-convoy carrying food assistance from Bor to Melut and Malakal was on Monday attacked around Shambe North of South Sudan’s Lakes State.
One person is missing and presumed killed, while three suffered gunshot injuries. The three cargo vessels had food items as well as 13 crew members on board. The boat convoy consisted of three cargo vessels and one speed-boat.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the missing crew member, and we wish a speedy recovery to those who suffered injuries,” said WFP Country Director, Matthew Hollingworth. “Their dedication will not be forgotten. We call on the South Sudanese authorities to hold those responsible for this unspeakable violence accountable for their actions.”
WFP condemned this and any other attacks on humanitarian workers and contractors, “who risk their lives delivering much-needed food assistance to the most vulnerable people.”
“WFP calls on all parties in South Sudan for unimpeded humanitarian access, respect for international law, and conditions that allow humanitarian workers to carry out their jobs in safety,” a WFP statement extended to Radio Tamazuj read in part.
According to WFP, the food was intended for displaced people who have lost their homes and their crops as a result of the floods. Over 800,000 people have been affected by the floods in South Sudan, on top of many months of subnational violence, and years of conflict have ravaged people’s homes and caused widespread hunger and malnutrition.
South Sudan has in the recent past witnessed an amplified sequence of attacks on humanitarian operations, convoys, and installations that the United Nations has repeatedly condemned.