More than 800 households which lost property during violence in the Ikpiro residential area in Yambio have received humanitarian assistance.

The internally displaced people fled their homes for safety when fighting broke out between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and an armed group in Ikpiro in December 2015.

The violence left many properties destroyed, houses looted, more than 10 people dead, many others wounded, and also forced thousands of people to flee their homes for safety.

“Today, we (and our) partners from the non-governmental organizations and UN Agencies are distributing some food items and non-food items to the affected people,” said Francis Francisco, the coordinator of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in Yambio County.

He added that the assistance was being distributed with support from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and World Vision. 

Mr. Francisco said over 3000 individuals, mostly women and children, from about 825 households were receiving the food and non-food items, which included blankets, plastic sheets, flour, washing soap and cooking oil.

One of the beneficiaries was Veronica Mamu who lost her husband during the fighting, which also left three of her children were injured.

Ms. Mamu said life had been hard since her husband died and it was difficult to provide basic needs, including food, for her children.

“I came here to where they are distributing food items so that they can give me to help me with my children who injured during the violence in Yambio and (in which) I also lost my husband,” she said.

Mr. Francisco further said assistance will be given once for 15 days to the displaced persons from Ikpiro, after which the humanitarian partners will move to other affected areas to assess the conditions of other affected people.