The government of Unity state has formed a committee to respond to the needs of returnees, IDPs and about 700 defected soldiers who have returned to their units.

State Governor Dr. Joseph Nguen Manytuil said the committee will collaborate with humanitarian organizations to ensure people are resettled.

Dr. Manytuil told Eye Radio that the major challenge the state government faces is the rising number of people who are in need of aid.

“My main challenge is the provision of the humanitarian items, mainly the food items,” he said.

“We do not have enough in our hands and the number of the IDPs is overwhelming whatever we have.

“There has been a lot of influx of people coming back from the rural areas as well as the UN compound.

“Our plan as the government is first to provide security and then we provide food items with the help of our partners. We are still in need of assistance that could come from any goodwill people to South Sudan.”

About seven thousand internally displaced persons who were seeking refuge in the UNMISS compound in Bentiu have returned to their homes.