A UN peacekeeper escorts women and children in the violence-rocked Tambura County, Western Equatoria State recently | Credit | Denis Louro/UNMISS

At least 801 civilians were killed, injured, abducted or subjected to conflict-related sexual violence between July and September this year, a quarterly report by the UN Human Rights Division has said.

The report shows a decrease in events of the similar manner compared to the same period last year where about 1,271 were killed, injured or victimized.

This was largely due to a decline in conflict in Jonglei and the neighboring Greater Pibor Administrative Area, the statement obtained by Eye Radio today, indicated.

UNMISS says most of the violent incidents during this period amounting to 92 percent were concentrated geographically in just 54 of the country’s 510 payams most notably in the Equatorias and Warrap.

The Human Rights Division’s quarterly brief also documented a surge of violence in Tambura, Western Equatoria, between Azande and Balanda militias, allegedly affiliated with conventional parties to the conflict.

According to its preliminary findings, 240 have died, 46 abducted and 59 victims subjected to sexual violence and an estimated 80,000 people displaced.

It describes the increase in brutality in the Western Equatoria region as a serious and concerning development amidst an overall decline in such violence.

The violence against civilians by these perpetrators accounted for 44 percent of all victims documented across the country between July and September 2021 the report states.

It disclosed that other community-based militias and/or civil Defense groups were the second largest category responsible for harming civilians compared to government forces and organized armed groups and actors engaged in opportunistic violence.

The accounts show that most victims were men with 69 percent, followed by women at 17 percent and children 14 percent.

Almost 79 percent of male victims were killed or injured while women were more likely to suffer from sexual violence.

Children were primarily killed or abducted while at least eight girls were the victims of sexual violence it concluded.