UN yet to confirm looting of supplies in W. Bahr el Ghazal

October 26, 2015 (WAU) – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) sub-office in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal state says it was yet confirm media reports that its trucks carrying food were looted by unknown armed people in Wau county last week.

“The WFP office in Wau only recorded a looting incident that occurred on 30 September this year in Bazia, whereby our two food trucks coming from Juba to Wunrock come under attack from an unknown armed group”, disclosed a WFP official.

“WFP last month lost humanitarian food ration of 25.47 metric tons which was heading to Wunrock in Warrap state,” added the official, preferring anonymity.

According to the WFP staff, those who looted the trucks in Bazia wore army uniforms and that the incident happened near a government army check point in Bazia payam.

“We have not yet confirmed the case, but we have our food trucks which have already left Tororo district in Uganda and some left Juba this week heading to Wau”, said the official.

He further added, “Therefore, if the case [of looting] is true, it will be the third time between September 2015 up to now that our food trucks have been attack and looted”.

The WFP official, however, admitted they lost contact with truck drivers that left Uganda.

Armed groups allegedly clad in South Sudan army (SPLA) uniforms reportedly stopped a convoy of UN trucks carrying food items in Western Bahr al Ghazal and looted supplies.

A UN hired truck registration number CE 161 from Juba to Wau is reportedly missing.

(ST)