South Sudan violence spills into displacement camp, religious leaders say

By Waakhe Simon Wudu

JUBA (Reuters) – Fighting between rival groups of youths in remote parts of South Sudan’s Upper Nile State has spread into a camp housing people displaced by the violence, religious leaders said on Thursday, expressing concerns it was getting out of hand.

The violence in the Upper Nile State, which started in August, has killed an unknown number of people and displaced just over 9,000, some of whom are hiding in swamps, United Nations agencies said on Wednesday.

Violence is rampant in parts of South Sudan where clashes triggered by local disputes over cattle, grazing areas, water, cultivation grounds and other resources often turn deadly.

Residents who fled into Aburoc IDP (internally displaced people) camp in the northeast of Upper Nile State’s capital of Malakal had been forced to flee again when fighting spread into the facility, said Paolino Tipo Deng, Chairperson of the Upper Nile Religious Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation.

“This is one of the biggest areas where many displaced people are staying,” he told a news conference in Juba.

Deng said those involved in the attacks – local youth from various communities – were using heavy weapons.

“It is taking another dimension. Even the number of the dead and displaced is increasing,” he said.

President Salva Kiir has ordered troops to deploy to the area, his office said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Since August fighting has spread to other parts of the state and areas of neighbouring Jonglei and Unity states, according to U.N refugee agency UNHCR.

(Reporting by Waakhe Simon Wudu; Editing by George Obulutsa and Alexandra Hudson)