NRC Secretary-General Jan Egeland | photo | Joakino Francis

Emergence of more armed groups in the country is obstructing humanitarian agencies from providing life-saving assistance to vulnerable people in the country, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.

This year, several anti-government groups emerged, latest being that of the former SPLA chief of Staff, Paul Malong Awan.

It warned that this may lead to an extreme hunger situation in the country.

The Secretary-General of the Norwegian aid group, Jan Egeland, said more civilians are going hungry in more places than ever before in the history of South Sudan.

“The acts on the ground give evidence of it. They are not doing what they should as leaders; as men with guns and with power. There is a command and control system in all groups,” he said.

“There are has been fragmentation over the years. I have seen a dangerous fragmentation in the fighting. There are smaller groups now.”

Mr Egeland said there is need for the leaders to bring peace to end the suffering of South Sudanese.

Four months ago, the UN warned that unless aid and access were maintained, a record 7.1 million South Sudanese would face acute food insecurity between May and July.