Humanitarian agencies have temporarily relocated aid workers from Leer following days of violence there, the Country Director of World Food Programme has said.
Last week, violence broke out in Leer County of Unity state leaving about 35 civilians killed and many others displaced.
Matthew Hollingworth, the Country Director of WFP in South Sudan says there is a need for stability in the area to allow humanitarian agencies access to the displaced persons.
“Many humanitarians have to be relocated. We hope it will be temporary because of the violence they cannot work there right now,” Hollingworth said.
“We know over 25,000 people have been displaced. Many of those people are seeking safety in the bush and they are walking to a safe zone. We need time now to replace what has been stolen or looted or destroyed purposely in this violence.
“We are going to spend time and resort to replace that and we are going to identify where people have gone and get access to them. And obviously if we are going to get access to them, we need stability and safety, the violence has to stop.”
Yesterday, the head of the UN Mission in South Sudan also condemned the recent violence against civilians, looting and destruction of humanitarian properties in Leer County.
The conflict reportedly started in Mirmir cantonment site when rival factions of SPLA-IO forces allegedly fought for the control of the area.
On Wednesday, President Salve Kiir appointed a committee to investigate the root causes of Leer violence.