HIGHLIGHTS
Armed groups attack refugee settlement in Central Equatoria - Ongoing fighting in the southern belt of Central Equatoria continued to jeopardise the safety and security of refugees in Lasu settlement and hinder UNHCR and partner organizations’ ability to access them. Armed groups have repeatedly entered the settlement during the reporting period and fired shots, assaulted refugees, looted and destroyed humanitarian assets, goods and property. Fearing for their lives, some 8,000 refugees fled in panic and dispersed in different directions. Nearly 6,500 people have reportedly found refuge in a nearby farmland at Kukuyi, some 6 kilometres north of Lasu, while 1,400 others have scattered along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Refugee leaders told UNHCR that 100 refugees have crossed into DRC and settled near the border at Aba, joining another 2,000 Congolese nationals who escaped from Lasu in early September. During the raids, a Congolese woman was raped and another one managed to escape attempted rape. Two Sudanese women were reportedly abducted and remain in captivity in an unknown location. UNHCR condemns these attacks and urges all armed parties to respect the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum and refugee settlements.
UNHCR opens new refugee camp in Unity - UNHCR officially opened a new camp at Pamir on 1 September to provide better protection and services to Sudanese refugees relocating from Yida settlement and new arrivals from the war-torn Nuba Mountains. The new camp, some 80 kilometres south of the contested border with Sudan, is ready to accommodate up to 20,000 people at the moment. UNHCR and partners have so far demarcated 5,000 family plots, built a primary school and a health care centre. Drinking water is available through a sun-powered water pumping system. A child friendly space opened in the first week of September. UNHCR has so far relocated 77 refugees.
UNHCR and partners continue to fight malaria in refugee camps - UNHCR partner Mentor Initiative begun Indoor Residual Spraying and larviciding activities in Kaya camp, targeting nearly 6,000 households. The same activities were undertaken in Yusuf Batil and Doro camp in August, reaching more than 21,000 households, and will start in Gendrassa camp in the second week of September, with a target of nearly 5,000 households. Furthermore, distribution of mosquito nets has been ongoing since June this year, including blanket distribution in Gendrassa camp, benefitting nearly 41,000 refugees, and targeted distribution to large sized families (six and above) in all four camps. Compared to previous years, the incidence of malaria in the camps is higher but in line with the trends observed in the whole country. In addition to deploying preventive measures, UNHCR and partners have been treating patients with malaria. As a result, the number of malaria cases in Maban camps decreased from 19,701 in August to 5,863 in the first two weeks of September. There were 6 deaths from malaria during the reporting period compared to 18 in August.