MSF compound looted during fighting in S. Sudan’s Pibor county
February 24, 2016 (JUBA) – The medical charity, Medicins San Frontiers (MSF) said its compound was looted during the fighting that broke out Tuesday afternoon in South Sudan’s Pibor county.
“Fighting broke out in Pibor in the early afternoon on the 23rd and has continued throughout the day today. Yesterday [Tuesday] afternoon, the MSF team was forced to seek safety in the MSF compound but as heavy gunfire approached the facility, the team was forced to move to the UNMISS compound,” MSF said in a statement.
According to the medical agency, their staffs brought medical equipment and supplies and have been supporting the provision of medical treatment to the wounded.
“As of 1:00 p.m. today [Wednesday], MSF was supporting treatment for 35 patients but there is a lack of surgical capacity to provide the level of treatment that is urgently required,” it said.
“Fighting is ongoing in the area and MSF has witnessed a number of homes that have been destroyed in the violence”, it added.
MSF said it was yet to assess the extent of the damage from attacks on its compound.
“There are critical emergency medical needs right now in Pibor, and really limited capacity to respond and save lives,” said MSF’s head of mission, Corinne Benazech.
“We need to assess the damage and looting of the MSF health centre, but if we cannot restart activities this could make a bad situation catastrophic, since MSF provides the only healthcare in the area,” she added.
Benazech, however, reiterated calls for all armed actors to respect international humanitarian law, which protects civilians, medical facilities and provides humanitarian assistance.
(ST)