UNMISS conducts air patrol to Ayod, meets authorities and communities displaced by recent violence

JONGLEI – In Ayod town, Jonglei state, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding.

Some 25,000 internally displaced people from Pankor village have flocked here in the hope of safety and support. This follows an upsurge of violence on 21 February 21 in Pankor which has led to the deaths of at least 16 civilians, including women and children, according to Ayod County Commissioner James Chuol Jiek.

Commissioner Jiek was speaking to a team from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) who had flown to Ayod to assess the security situation and engage local authorities and affected communities.

One such community member is Monica Nyajiema, who stood anxiously at the Ayod airstrip, surrounded by her four young children, as the UNMISS team landed. With hope flickering in her eyes, she spoke about the possibility of a flight to Bor or any other safe location within Jonglei where she could shield her family from the lingering shadow of violence.

“I’m here with my children, desperately waiting for any flight to take us away from Ayod,” she said, her voice trembling. “I no longer believe this place is safe for my children and me.”

Physical safety isn’t the only concern, though. Marry Nyadeng, women’s representative, revealed that displaced families are struggling to access food and clean water, in the aftermath of conflict. Although many have returned home, basic supplies remain scarce.

“Food in the host community is limited and shared with internally displaced persons. But this leaves many families hungry,” she explained.

According to the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), humanitarian partners are rallying to provide support to Pankor communities.

“We anticipate humanitarian aid to reach next week, and we are encouraging everyone to return to their homes and register with the World Food Programme,” stated Stephen Kweath, an RRC representative.

For his part, Commissioner James Chuol Jiek acknowledged disruptions and shortages, pointing out that these were short-term consequences and that authorities are doing their best to hold perpetrators to account.

“Investigations are ongoing and suspects are under arrest,” he said.

“Those responsible for this violence must be held accountable. These attacks should never happen again. While it is the government’s duty to protect its people, we stand with the communities of South Sudan during this painful time. We urgently call for an end to the violence in Ayod and for concrete steps to ensure families never have to endure such suffering again.”

As Ayod mourns its dead and shelters thousands of displaced families, pressure is mounting on authorities and humanitarian agencies to restore security, deliver urgently needed aid, and prevent further cycles of retaliatory violence.

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By Achol Kur Marial