The United States has condemned the deadly mortar attacks on the UN base in Melut, Upper Nile State.

Yesterday, four people were killed and eight others injured after two mortar bombs landed on the UN compound in the area, the UN Mission in South Sudan.

Those killed include a woman and a child. The civilians fled their homes due to the ongoing violence in the state and sought shelter at the base.

The bombs reportedly came from the scene of clashes between the government forces and those of General Johnson Olony.

“We reiterate the call for those responsible for attacks on civilians and UN facilities to be held accountable,” said Samantha Power, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

“The international community is footing the bill for President Salva Kiir’s and opposition leader Riek Machar’s shameful disregard for the devastating humanitarian crisis facing the people of South Sudan.”

Ms Power stated that the US regrets ‘that South Sudan’s political leaders repeatedly fail to heed international humanitarian law’s prohibition on intentionally targeting civilians’.

“All parties should regard UN protection sites as inviolable and the work of UNMISS personnel should be respected, supported and protected as they work to protect the more than 120,000 IDPs sheltering at UNMISS bases.”

More than 3 million people are lacking sufficient food and more than 2 million are internally displaced, according to the UN estimates.