S/Sudan: UN deploys peacekeepers amid fresh intercommunal violence

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan, UNMISS, on Tuesday said it deployed additional peacekeepers and launched urgent patrols, following fresh outbreaks of intercommunal violence in Western Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria states.

This came after armed Murle youth from the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, GPAA, on April 26, attacked Kapoeta East County of Eastern Equatoria State.

According to the UN Mission, the attack resulted in the deaths of civilians, the abduction of women and children, and the mass displacement of vulnerable communities.

“Efforts are underway to verify the number of casualties, but preliminary reports indicate that a significant number of people were killed.

Many women and children were abducted, and hundreds of cattle were stolen,” the UNMISS said in a statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

It noted another bout of communal violence in Tambura town of Western Equatoria State that displaced more than 13,000 people.

The people evacuated are currently being hosted at a displacement camp outside a temporary base operated by the UNMISS.

The UN mission added that another 4,000 people had arrived at another displacement camp in Tambura town, following renewed violence.