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STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / MAKPANDU SECURITY CONCERNS
TRT: 02:48
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 16 MARCH 2026, MAKPANDU REFUGEE CAMP, WESTERN EQUATORIA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Wide shot, Makpandu refugee camp with shelters burned and people moving around
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bekia Mahadi Ali, Sudanese Refugee:
“Our fear in this camp is there is no security at all. I fled with my eight children without their father. All these children are my responsibility. They cannot go to school because of fear. I fled for refuge here; there is nothing I can do. The only thing I am requesting is to be relocated from this camp. I came for safety but there is no safety here now.”
3. Various shots, children inside the camp, women cooking and daily life activities
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic)Omar Ibrahim, Sudanese refugee: “Sometimes we take our women and children to sleep in the bushes because there is no guarantee for security. We can’t cultivate because it is unsafe to go to our farms. We are appealing to the State government and the United Nations to intervene. We fled from bullets but here we are also facing bullets.”
5. Various shots, UN peacekeepers patrolled in and around the refugee camp, UNMISS peacekeepers engaging with refugees and community leaders
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas Bazawi, Protection, Transition and Reintegration Officer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan:
“Especially following the most recent attack that took place last week, it is our role to restore confidence, to engage directly with the communities and even the local authorities. It was also an opportunity for us to interact with different sources, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), the police, the women and the refugees. Even though they are expressing their anxiety and fear about the situation, they still need us as UNMISS to increase our footprint, our patrols, and to continue to engage with them closely so that they can restore confidence and resume life again.”
7. Various shots, refugees interacting with UNMISS personnel
Responding to a recent deadly attack in which a Sudanese refugee lost his life, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) conducted a patrol at Makpandu refugee camp in Yambio, Western Equatoria, to assess security in the area and work with local authorities, security forces, and refugee communities to strengthen protection of civilians, prevent further violence, and build confidence.
For thousands of Sudanese refugees who fled conflict across the border, Makpandu camp was meant to offer safety. But growing insecurity in the area has left many families living in fear again.
Bekia Mahadi and her eight children are among those who sought sanctuary at the camp but says the persistent violence is causing constant anxiety.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bekia Mahadi Ali, Sudanese Refugee:
“Our fear in this camp is there is no security at all. I fled with my eight children without their father. All these children are my responsibility. They cannot go to school because of fear. I fled for refuge here; there is nothing I can do. The only thing I am requesting is to be relocated from this camp. I came for safety but there is no safety here now.”
Refugee families say armed individuals frequently enter the camp, firing weapons, intimidating families and looting or burning property.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Omar Ibrahim, Sudanese refugee: “Sometimes we take our women and children to sleep in the bushes because there is no guarantee for security. We can’t cultivate because it is unsafe to go to our farms. We are appealing to the State government and the United Nations to intervene. We fled from bullets but here we are also facing bullets.”
These incidents have forced some refugees to sleep in bush areas outside the camp for safety.
SOUNDBITE (English) Thomas Bazawi, Protection, Transition and Reintegration Officer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan:
“Especially following the most recent attack that took place last week, it is our role to restore confidence, to engage directly with the communities and even the local authorities. It was also an opportunity for us to interact with different sources, the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF), the police, the women and the refugees. Even though they are expressing their anxiety and fear about the situation, they still need us as UNMISS to increase our footprint, our patrols, and to continue to engage with them closely so that they can restore confidence and resume life again.”
As refugees continue to call for stronger protection and support, UN peacekeepers say sustained engagement, regular patrols and cooperation with authorities remain key to restoring a sense of safety for families who have already fled conflict once before.
