JUBA, South Sudan (AFP) — The death toll has surpassed 20 in the recent clashes that erupted within a U.N. site in South Sudan, with over 50 individuals sustaining injuries, according to the medical charity MSF (Doctors Without Borders).
MSF stated that two of its staff members were among the wounded, and several injured individuals were being airlifted to the capital, Juba.
“While the situation was relatively calm this morning, many women and children who fled the camp are still hesitant to return due to fears of further escalation,” said Luz Linares, MSF’s head of mission in the country.
The clashes occurred on Thursday at the Malakal camp between members of the Shilluk and Nuer ethnic groups, as reported by a local representative of the displaced people to The Associated Press. The United Nations office in South Sudan stated that the fighting began with a stabbing incident and that its mission had enhanced the presence of military and police forces in the area in close cooperation with South Sudan’s military and authorities.
South Sudan continues to grapple with deadly violence between ethnic groups and communities, despite a peace deal reached in 2018 to end a five-year civil war. During the conflict, thousands of individuals sought refuge within U.N. protection sites.
MSF highlighted that over 41,000 people are currently residing in th
e Malakal site, which also serves as a designated camp for those escaping the violence in neighboring Sudan.
