An official says over 30,000 people who fled the fighting in Malakal will be evacuated from Paloch Payam to Meluth County of Upper Nile state.

The decision was made after aid agencies had trouble supplying humanitarian assistance to Internally Displaced Persons.

On Wednesday, the authorities in Meluth County said the area was calm and oil production was continuing.

Meluth County Commissioner Akouch Teny Ding told Eye Radio that an oil company has put vehicles at their disposal to facilitate the evacuation process.

“More than 30,000 people are in Paloch Payam but they will be evacuated to Meluth County because we have difficulties in accessing water here, because they use trucks for carrying water which will not be enough for them. We also have food problems. There is no food for these people so we are preparing to evacuate them. One of the oil field managers released for me four big trucks to evacuate these people from Paloch to Meluth,” he said.

Commissioner Teny said that aid agencies have arrived in Paloch to assess the situation of the IDPs and their needs.

He said the government has deployed enough soldiers in order, he said, “to protect” oil facilities in Meluth.