The UN Mission in South Sudan says over 12,000 civilians have sought refuge in their base in Bentiu.
This follows clashes between government forces and forces of the SPLA-in Opposition.
The UN Mission in South Sudan says their peacekeepers helped extract oil workers and civilians who were caught up in the fighting yesterday.
The Mission’s deputy spokesperson, Joe Contreras told Eye Radio this afternoon that the U.N. peacekeepers in Bentiu rescued 10 staff members of a Russian oil company.
He said 5 of the workers were wounded in the cross-fire.
“Three of those ten people I mentioned are South Sudanese, five of them are Russians, one Ukrainian and one Kenyan,” said Mr Contreras.
He said UNMISS is protecting over 12, 000 newly displaced persons in Bentiu after the fighting resumed yesterday.
“We are sheltering in that compound over twelve thousand [people] and in the last two days, approximately 700 new arrivals entered our premises.”
Yesterday, the UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Toby Lanzer, expressed outrage that civilians were being subjected to more suffering in Bentiu.
Mr. Lanzer called on the government and the SPLM-in Opposition to immediately cease hostilities in order for civilians to resume their normal lives as the rainy season begins.
He said about 7million people are at risk of famine in the coming months, if the fighting doesn’t stop.