Sudanese refugees abducted near Central Equatoria’s Lasu

November 22, 2016 (JUBA) – The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) Tuesday said 39 Sudanese refugees have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen from Lasu camp in Central Equaroria area, South Sudan.

“An alleged armed group abducted some 39 Sudanese refugees from Lasu camp on 19 October 2016 and took them 18 kilometers east of Lasu to their base, 3 km off the main road near Mitika SPLA base,” reported the HCR based on the accounts by survivors currently at Yei Hospital.

Two Sudanese refugees from the Nuba Mountains were killed, and five others were seriously injured in Lasu, earlier this month on 5 November.

The remaining abducted refugees are still in captivity, the report said.

No information is available about the cause of the targeting of Sudanese refugees. But the security situation in the area is volatile.

UNHCR and aid groups have not been able to access Lasu camp over the past month due to insecurity en route from Yei to Lasu. Also, delivery of humanitarian assistance has been disrupted.

There are some 266,000 registered Sudanese refugees, from South Kordofan and Blue Nile States in South Sudan in the Upper Nile and Unity regions near the border. But there are no statistics for the refugees in other regions of South Sudan.

Last week, the HCR said 7.500 Sudanese refugees have returned from Yida camp to South Kordofan state. The lack of security threatens refugees life and complicate the transportation of humanitarian assistance to the camp.

(ST)