UN decries violence against aid workers in S. Sudan

JUBA. — The UN humanitarian agency has decried increasing violence against aid workers in South Sudan, with 100 humanitarian access incidents being reported in June, the highest number recorded in any month so far in 2017.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest report released on Saturday evening that although there was a reduction in the number of conflict and insecurity incidents impacting humanitarian access in June, with no relocations of aid workers carried out during the month, partners reported a substantial rise in incidents involving violence against personnel and assets, from 29 cases in May to 46 in June.

“At least 24 humanitarian compounds, including offices, residences, and warehouses, were broken into countrywide in June, resulting in the looting of humanitarian supplies and theft of staff members’ personal belongings,” the UN said in its Humanitarian Bulletin.

It said violence against aid workers and assets included compound break-ins, looting of humanitarian supplies, and physical assault.

The UN reports over 80 aid workers have been killed since outbreak of conflict in December 2013, and have continuously condemned attacks on humanitarian workers by armed groups besides blockading of badly needed aid to over six million South Sudanese on the verge of starvation.