SOUTH SUDAN / MALAKAL DISPLACED COMMUNITIES

Violence erupted among two displaced communities in Malakal who are housed in the UN Protection of Civilians Site, triggered by a stabbing incident, with initial reports citing 3 civilians being killed and injuries to some 20 others, as of Thursday afternoon. UNMISS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:00:51
• Production Date: 8 June 2023
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN – UNMISS
• Subject Topical: DISPLACED PERSONS; PEACEKEEPERS
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 3052557
• Parent Id: 3052557
• Alternate Title: unifeed230608c

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / MALAKAL DISPLACED COMMUNITIES
TRT: 00:51
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: NATS

DATELINE: 08 JUNE 2023, MALAKAL, SOUTH SUDAN

Shotlist

1. Pan left, UN vehicles
2. Wide shot, people moving
3. Various shots, displaced people

Storyline

Violence erupted among two displaced communities who are housed in the UN Protection of Civilians Site, triggered by a stabbing incident, with initial reports citing 3 civilians being killed and injuries to some 20 others, as of Thursday (08 June) afternoon.

Thursday morning, the sound of gunshots cut through the dawn air in Upper Nile state’s capital, Malakal, adjacent to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan’s (UNMISS) base here.

UNMISS peacekeepers were quick to deploy, since tensions had been simmering here since the end of last week, when a dispute at a water point quickly escalated into full-fledged conflict in which a 32-year-old man was killed.

Being adjacent to the Protection Site, peacekeepers are always on alert and quick to react the minute they receive reports of unrest.

During last month’s clashes, military and police peacekeepers deployed immediately to defuse the situation.

Today, the UN Peacekeeping mission had boots on the ground soon after hearing guns being fired. Police and military peacekeepers are currently patrolling both within the site and around the external perimeter, in partnership with the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces to shore up confidence among the displaced community.

Additionally, medical peacekeepers in UNMISS hospital are providing emergency care for some of the wounded. The Mission has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and is gravely concerned about the loss of lives.

UNMISS is working collaboratively with state authorities to restore calm.

As of December last year, some 37,032 displaced individuals are sheltering at the Malakal Protection Site, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) biometric registration.