Four women have gone missing after they were attacked by unknown people near the UN Protection of Civilians site in Jebel, according to the camp chairperson.

Majok Yen said the women were among a group that went to fetch firewood outside the POC.

He said the women were attacked by a group of men but some of them were able to escape, he added.

“We missed four women, they did not come back. Those who have come back said there were some soldiers who attacked, threaten and harassed them but some of them they ran,” Mr. Yen said.

Mr. Majok said the UN and its partners need to assist them by providing fuel for cooking so that the women do not risk their lives by fetching firewood in areas far from the camp.

“When you give somebody food and you don’t give them charcoal, what do you think? Isn’t this a problem?” he stressed.

“The camp leaders have reported the incident to the UNMISS authorities so that they can help search for the women,” Mr. Yen said.

However, in an e-mail to Eye Radio, the UNMISS Spokesperson, Daniel Dickinson, said the UN had not received such information.

In the past, there have been reports of the attack on women leaving the UN camp.

According to a civil society group, twenty-seven women were in July 2016 raped by men in uniform outside the UN camp at Jebel Kujur in Juba.

The End Impunity Organization said the women were raped on different occasions when they came out of the camp to go and look for food.