Civilians flee violent conflict in Tambura, Western Equatoria State|Courtesy Photo

Humanitarian officials in Ezo and Nagero counties in Western Equatoria State have reported an influx of thousands of displaced persons fleeing insecurity in Tambura County majority of whom are women and children.

Tambura is grappling with deepening inter-communal violence characterized by rampant targeted killings.

On Tuesday, Tambura commissioner said heavily armed men carrying rocket propelled grenades (RPG) and PKM machineguns attacked Tambura market.

This followed the killing of an elderly woman was killed on Monday in an ambush near her house there.

Meanwhile, Nagero County’s RRC Coordinator John Kosa Kondo says they have registered thousands of displaced persons in Nagero central Payam, Namutina and Duma.

In an interview with Eye Radio, Kosa said the new arrivals lacks basic necessities such as clean drinking water, shelter and food.

“There is no water for drinking, getting food is a challenge for them so those we have registered at the center here is 15,581 households, the population is 20,231 individuals,” he narrated.

“In Duma, we registered 7,000 households in Duma, the population in Duma is 9,100 individuals. In Namutina, we registered 1,4 24 households and the population is 8,544 and people are still coming.”

Kosa further appealed to the government and aid agencies to intervene adding that the displaced persons are surviving on support from the church and host communities.

For his part, the RRC Coordinator for Ezo County reported a similar statistic. Martin Siani said they have registered over 8,000 new arrived Tambura displaced persons.

“Since 29^th October up to 10^th December this year, we have managed to register 1,739 households newly who have come from Tambura,” he said.

“Individuals are 8,645 these are the people who have come now and they have settled in the locations mainly Nakofo settlement, Nambia settlement, Linda Mundi settlement, and Manzinzi, these are the settlement in Ezo central payam.”

“And we still have IDPs who came from Mopai. They are settling in Bagidi and Yangiri Payam so currently the situation of these IDPs is not well because most of them are women and children and elderly people.”

Early in December, Western Equatoria State Deputy Governor led a peace committee to Tambura where he talked the locals including the displaced persons and called for peaceful co-existence.

Following the assessment, Badagbu questioned the neutrality of security forces stationed in Tambura County to mitigate communal violence citing tribal affiliations.

He recommended the redeployment of an impartial force that will enforce rule of law without favor.