Oshima calls on combatants to respect civilians

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Kenzo Oshima on Friday lamented the plight of thousands of internally-displaced people (IDPs) in southern Sudan, and called on the parties to the country’s civil war to exert restraint over their troops to avoid endangering civilian lives. Oshima expressed his “deep concern” over the humanitarian consequences of the intensified fighting caused by a recent offensive by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in Bahr al-Ghazal state, which has resulted in the displacement of an estimated 30,000 people.

“These events are of particular concern as they not only bring about further deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the area but also threaten access and the delivery of humanitarian aid to hundreds of thousands of affected people,” he added. UNOCHA has activated an emergency response team, including the WFP and UNICEF as well as NGOs, to plan and coordinate “an effective and timely response to the current crisis,” Oshima said in a press statement.