Violence in Yei River State Sends Thousands Fleeing to Democratic Republic of Congo
Category: Unrest
Severity: 3 (Moderate)
Source: Drum Cussac
02/13/2019 (South Sudan) - The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) stated on Tuesday, 12 February, that a recent upsurge of violence has displaced around 8,000 refugees from South Sudan's Yei River State, with around 5,000 fleeing to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The most recent fighting reportedly occurred outside the town of Yei, close to the DRC and Ugandan border, prompting mostly women and children to flee the area. The clashes involve the South Sudanese Army (SPLA) and the rebel group the National Salvation Front (NAS), with the conflict, which broke out between them on 19 January this year, continuing to impact the local populace significantly. The refugees are arriving in remote border villages in Congo's Ituri province, an area close to Ebola-affected North Kivu province. A World Health Organization (WHO) spokesman said there is no indication the disease has spread to this region. However, he did state that the risk is there, so border crossings are being monitored carefully. The refugees have sought shelter in churches, schools, abandoned houses or are sleeping in the open.
Members are advised to exercise extreme caution given the risk of further fighting in the area and should review contingency and evacuation plans in case of a rapid deterioration in the local security environment. Travellers should monitor local media sources and liaise with in-country contacts for further updates on the situation in their particular area of operations and heed any directives issued by authorities. All operationally-critical travel should be conducted in coordination with a trusted security provider following a comprehensive localised threat assessment.
Copyright © 2024 Drum Cussac
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