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67 aid workers killed in South Sudan in 3 yrs: UN

Xinhua, October 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN humanitarian agency has decried violence against humanitarian workers and assets in South Sudan, saying at least 67 aid workers have been killed since conflict erupted in December 2013.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest report that the number includes a recent case in which an aid worker was shot and killed in an ambush on a clearly marked NGO vehicle in Eastern Equatoria on Oct. 18.

"In the first nine months of 2016, more than 640 humanitarian access incidents were reported in South Sudan, including 81 in September alone," OCHA said in the report released on Thursday.

According to OCHA, out of the 81 incidents, 59 involved violence against humanitarian personnel and assets.

"This included a substantial increase in assaults, ambushes and armed attacks, with 11 incidents reported in September compared to 5 in August," it said.

The report said armed ambushes and attacks were mainly reported in Eastern Equatoria, Central Equatoria, Western Equatoria, Lakes and Western Bahr el Ghazal.

The UN agency said impediments and restrictions have continued to affect the delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in need in October.

"In Western Bahr el Ghazal, after occasional access in previous weeks, humanitarians have again been denied passage at checkpoints outside of Wau town in the past two weeks, preventing access to tens of thousands of people in dire need of assistance," it said.

The OCHA said key roads in Eastern Equatoria have witnessed ambushes against both civilian and humanitarian vehicles in recent weeks.

The increased attacks on relief workers forced the agencies to relocate some 10 aid workers from Budi County in Eastern Equatoria last week.

Humanitarian Coordinator Eugene Owusu said violence against aid workers must stop and called for swift action to hold those responsible to account.

"Violence against humanitarians jeopardizes the delivery of vital humanitarian assistance to millions of people in dire need across this country," he added. Endit