Hundreds seek shelter as warring parties in Unity state pause hostilities
December 1, 2014 (KAMPALA) – Hundreds of civilians fleeing conflict arrived at the UN camp in Unity state’s Rubkotna county on Saturday, an aid worker told Sudan Tribune by satellite phone from Bentiu.
The civilians are mainly coming from Guit county and other neighbouring areas controlled by the anti-government forces.
The aid worker told Sudan Tribune the group were resident of the twin towns of Rubkotna and Bentiu towns, but had fled to other areas of the state in January when pro-government forces took control of state capital Bentiu and neighbouring counties from rebels.
The majority of the recent arrivals were children, women and the elderly, many of whom had walked long distances to reach the UN camp in search of food and health services.
Food shortages are posing an enormous challenge to local civilians, with ongoing fighting severely disrupting agricultural activities.
Rebecca Nyamuch, a resident at the UN camp in Rubkotna, told Sudan Tribune that she saw a large number of families enter the camp between Friday and Saturday.
She said many people from nearby villages had gone into hiding since fresh conflict broke out in the state capital and other surrounding areas.
“Recently, they (the new arrivals) have heard the two warring groups signed a ceasefire deal; that is why they have decided to come and join us in the UN camp,” said Nyamuch.
She said the security situation in Bentiu was now calm despite last month’s clashes between opposition and pro-government troops over control of Rubkotna and Bentiu towns.
Aid agencies working in the state said the new arrivals group had been forced them to seek shelter at the UN camp for their own safety due to the lack of food and adequate health care services.
A state government official who spoke on condition of anonymity told Sudan Tribune that some civilian who had crossed to Bentiu from rebel-held areas were detained in the town as they attempted to make their way to the UN camp in Rubkotna.
The source claimed that officials told civilians to remain in the area so that they could be registered for humanitarian assistance before proceeding to the camp.
Government and rebel forces have been engaged in an armed struggle since mid-December last year when a political dispute in the country’s ruling party (SPLM) turned violent, reigniting tribal tensions.
The conflict has displaced more than 1.5 million people, with tens of thousands seeking shelter at UN sites across the country.
Unity state has been a flashpoint for violence since fighting broke out, changing hands several times between government and rebel forces.
(ST)