The World Food Program says its main food warehouse in Juba was looted during the recent fighting in Juba.

In a statement, the agency says UNMISS peacekeepers carried out an assessment of the warehouse on Wednesday and reported extensive looting.

But it says its staffs have not yet been able to reach the warehouse to confirm the extent of the losses.

The UN agency said that before the fighting started at the end of last week, more than 4,500 metric tons of food was in the warehouse.

“WFP strongly condemns the theft of food intended for the poorest and most vulnerable people of South Sudan,” said WFP Deputy Regional Director Vernon Archibald.

“While the extent of the looting is not yet clear, we fear that the loss of these vital food supplies will severely hamper WFP’s ability to assist the tens of thousands of people who have fled their homes because of the violence.”

It said the food items were enough to provide lifesaving food and nutrition assistance to about 220,000 people for a month.

Regardless of the incident, Country Director Joyce Luma said the WFP has already provided urgently needed food assistance to thousands of displaced people sheltering at UN peacekeeping bases, using stocks from a smaller warehouse in another part of of Juba town.

On Tuesday, the SPLA General Headquarters ordered an end to looting.

In a statement, the SPLA spokersperon, Lul Ruai Koang, said those found in the act would be arrested. In case they resist, they would be shot at.