The humanitarian situation in Western Upper Nile continued to deteriorate in the week to 21 November due to limited flight access and “escalated fighting” in the area, Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS) reported on Sunday. The UK’s ‘Financial Times’ on Friday reported that at least 300 soldiers had been killed in the last two weeks in fighting between the South Sudan Defence Force (SSDF) militia and government troops in Unity State, especially around the state capital Rubkona. The OLS agencies have “continued to set up contingency plans and pre-position resources in Lokichokkio (northwestern Kenya) for emergency response should access and security improve”.
Meanwhile, many of the people who fled Bentiu when fighting erupted in July have returned, and CARE has resumed emergency programmes in the town, including supplementary feeding. However, about 10,000 people are still living along the route between Bentiu and Rubkona, OLS added.
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