By Bida Elly David
At least 79 civilians from Wonduruba Payam, Central Equatoria State have fled to Lainya County after clashes between government forces and holdout groups.
Lainya County Commissioner, Emmanuel Khamis declined to disclose figures of casualties in clashes that occurred on Wednesday, saying its confidential.
Khamis said that influx of the displacement people has placed a burden on the county’s resources.
“Vulnerable children and women fled to our county for safety, and as their neighbor, we accommodated them in the church,” the commissioner said.
He urged Lainya community to welcome and support the displaced individuals.
“We need peace, and it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect civilians,” he emphasized.
He highlighted the dire situation of the displaced, lacking basic necessities like food and shelter.
“We’ve provided what little we have, and mobilized the host community to help. They need more relief,” Khamis appealed.
For his part, Lainya County Paramount Chief, Mathew Lado John added that the community contributed food items to support the victims, expecting more arrivals.
“We had no option but to accommodate them,” he stated. He urged parties involved in the conflict to cease fire.
Joseph Amule, the county youth leader, expressed the youth’s readiness to help their displaced peers but lamented the lack of resources due to their own challenges.
Authorities in Lainya called on the neighboring Juba County commissioner to address the ongoing conflict and support their efforts in hosting the displaced communities.