By Manas James Okony
Nasir County in Upper Nile State is facing a dire humanitarian situation following recent clashes between the national army and armed youth.
Thousands have been displaced, lacking access to food, water, and medical care.
County Commissioner Gatluak Lew Thiep, said an uneasy calm has returned to the county but those displaced lack food.
According to Gatluak, families are gradually starting to return to their homes, although the humanitarian situation remains alarming.
In an interview with No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper yesterday, the commissioner decried the challenges faced by the residents.
“Following the clashes, the army remained within their barracks, allowing the situation to stay calm. However, we are confronted with a pressing issue: our people lack food, water, and medicine as they begin to come back from displacement.”
The South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) also voiced concerns regarding the humanitarian conditions in the area.
David Panom, the acting coordinator of the RRC, reported that approximately 18,000 people were displaced to surrounding villages, such as Kot, Mandeng, and Pananyang.
He emphasized the urgent need for food assistance.
“There is no flour available; the community is left to rely solely on fish for sustenance. The incident on February 14 only exacerbated an already critical situation,” he pleaded.
The unrest, which erupted last week between members of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF) and armed civilians, has left the local community facing a dire humanitarian crisis.
The clashes, which began on Friday and continued into Saturday last week, resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals and left several others injured.
The violence prompted many residents to flee, leading to a significant exodus from the town.
The ongoing instability in South Sudan, coupled with the recent violence in Nasir, highlights the urgent need for humanitarian intervention and support for the affected population, whom are struggling to meet their basic needs in the aftermath of conflict.