HIGHLIGHTS
Conflict in and around Yei has forced thousands from their homes.
The number of South Sudanese seeking refuge in neighbouring countries has surpassed 1 million.
About 1.3 million people will benefit from aid through humanitarian fund allocation of $30 million.
Assistance outside Wau remains limited due to continued access constraints and insecurity.
Yei fighting: thousands more displaced
Fighting and increasing insecurity in and around Yei town have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, according to findings from an Inter-agency Rapid Needs Assessment (IRNA) undertaken in September and the latest information received from humanitarian partners. Following July’s fighting in Juba, Yei and its surrounds have seen clashes and increasing insecurity. Most recently, on 13 September, fighting along the Yei-Lasu road reportedly caused thousands of people to flee into Yei town, with many reporting that their homes and belongings had been destroyed or looted. There are also reports that an orphanage in Yei town has been occupied by armed forces.
Large numbers of civilians from Yei have fled the country and sought refuge in Uganda, and hundreds more are reportedly fleeing from Yei county to Juba by air. An inter-agency team that visited Yei town in September observed many abandoned homes, with several neighbourhoods largely deserted. Violent attacks - including killings of civilians using machetes (pangas) and guns, abductions, sexual violence, forced recruitment and mistreatment by armed actors - were reported to the assessment team, and civilians expressed fears of further attacks.
Access outside of Yei town remains difficult due to the presence of checkpoints and armed actors. Civilians report that villages and crops have been damaged and, in some instances, destroyed. Most people no longer have access to their farms. However, some are still undertaking the risky journey to bring subsistence produce to markets and their families. The markets in Yei town are functioning, but at a considerably reduced capacity. The price of goods has increased notably due to the combination of supply shortages, depreciation of the South Sudanese Pound and impact of the economic crisis.
Yei’s water network remains functional, although at a reduced capacity due to lack of fuel. The Yei hospital had not received a resupply of drugs in over four months, due to insecurity on the Juba-Yei road. Health partners were able to replenish the hospital with medicines sufficient for the next six months during the assessment mission. While schools are open, there is a significant drop in the numbers of students attending. One school visited cited that only 74 students out of its 400-student population were attending classes.
The assessment team noted that, if the security situation does not stabilise in the weeks ahead, the humanitarian situation in and around Yei is likely to rapidly deteriorate.