Vandalized structure in Pibor Administrative Area. (Photo: NRC).

The UN humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan has condemned the attack on humanitarian workers and assets in Greater Pibor Administrative Area.

According to OCHA, on 18 January, several armed attackers broke into an international NGO compound in Pibor.

The attackers beat one humanitarian worker left critically injured.

In a statement on Monday, Peter Van der Auweraertthe UN Interim Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, said the attackers targeted the NGO looking for cash and other assets and stole valuables.

The incident follows the killing of two aid workers in the Abyei Administrative Area and another aid worker in Jonglei State earlier this month.

“Such attacks while humanitarians are providing critical services to most vulnerable people are beyond comprehensible. The whole humanitarian community is united in its call for the immediate end of these repeated acts of violence against civilians and humanitarians.”

Van Der says the recurrent violent attacks against humanitarians inadvertently hamper the delivery of much-needed life-saving support to millions of people affected in times of escalating conflict and exacerbated the humanitarian situation.

Van Der said the direct victims of those attacks are the humanitarian workers, almost invariably South Sudanese nationals.

The indirect victims are the most vulnerable in the community’s humanitarian workers serve.

According to the UN, South Sudan continues to be the most dangerous place for aid workers, followed by Afghanistan and Syria.

In 2022, nine humanitarian workers were killed in the line of duty and 459 incidents were reported in South Sudan.

Three aid workers lost their lives while on duty at the beginning of 2023.

Across the country, aid workers – mostly national humanitarian workers – are affected by the impact of armed violence, bureaucratic impediments, and targeted violence.