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UN PhotoSOUTH SUDAN / UNMISS RII-RANGU PATROL
STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / UNMISS RII-RANGU PATROL
TRT: 05:02
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / ZANDE / NATS
DATELINE: 05 AUGUST 2026, RIIRANGU, YAMBIO COUNTY, WESTERN EQUATORIA, SOUTH SUDAN
1. Various shots, UNMISS peacekeeping patrol vehicles travelling along the road to Rii-rangu.
2. Various shots, peacekeepers meeting community members and organized forces
3. Various shots, abandoned health facilities, damaged structures
4. SOUNDBITE (Azande) Hellena Mborihidie, Rii-rangu Resident:
“Our problem is that we do not have access to drinking water. The challenges women face is too many. There are no schools, no borehole and no medical supplies. When someone becomes sick, there is no medicine. These are some of the challenges we face. As women, we do not feel comfortable in our own home. We are pleading with the government to intervene. For how long we will remain isolated, yet this is the place we call home
5. Various shots, peacekeepers assessing abandoned Riirangu Primary School and damaged community infrastructure
6. Various shots, UNMISS team walking through the abandoned school compound and classrooms
7. SOUNDBITE (Zande) Ojilia Barnaba, Mother of Six, Rii-rangu Resident:
“There are no health facilities or medicines. Pregnant women have nowhere to receive antenatal care and there is no transport to reach the nearest hospital. There are no schools, no markets. When a woman or a girl is in her menstrual circle, there is no access to dignity kits for women and girls. We are suffering.”
8. Various shots, temporary shelters, and displaced families
9. Various shots, household items and basic living conditions
10. SOUNDBITE (Zande) Suzy John, Mother of Five, Rii-rangu Resident:
“We farm and harvest, but when we are ready to enjoy the fruits of our labor, armed groups come and drive us away. When we return, we find nothing to eat. Hunger is too much. We cannot go and live in town because this is where we farm and feed our children. But insecurity remains a major challenge. Our houses were burned down, and now we are living under this tent.”
11. Various shots, abandoned markets, fields and community members inspected damaged crops.
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Senyo Kofi Dzamefe, Military Observer, UNMISS Field Office Yambio:
“Today, we are in Rii-rangu and are currently at Rii-rangu Primary School. We are here as part of the UNMISS mandate to protect civilians and monitor possible human rights violations. During our visit, we engaged members of the community, who told us about several challenges, including the abandonment of their medical facility and primary school. As you can see behind me, this is part of Rii-rangu Primary School in Western Equatoria. We came to assess the situation, and we will report our findings to the UNMISS leadership.”
13. Various shots, UNMISS patrol departing Riirangu
For the people of the isolated community of Rii-rangu in Western Equatoria State, daily life is defined by distance, fear, and the absence of basic services. Years of conflict have devastated the already limited infrastructure, leaving residents without safe drinking water, functioning health facilities, schools or reliable access to markets.
After navigating muddy terrain and flood-damaged road, a peacekeeping patrol from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan finally managed to reach to community to hear directly from residents the challenges they face. For women, the burden of the isolation weighs heavily as they struggle to find water, care for sick family members, and raise children.
SOUNDBITE (Zande) Hellena Mborihidie, Rii-rangu resident:
"Our problem is that we do not have access to drinking water. The challenges women face are too many. There are no schools, no borehole, and no medical supplies. When someone becomes sick, there is no medicine. These are some of the challenges we face. As women, we do not feel comfortable in our own home. We are pleading with the government to intervene. For how long will we remain isolated, yet this is the place we call home?"
They also reported that the absence of maternal healthcare has made pregnancy and childbirth especially dangerous.
SOUNDBITE (Zande) Ojilia Barnaba, Rii-rangu mother of six:
“There are no health facilities or medicines. Pregnant women have nowhere to receive antenatal care and there is no transport to reach the nearest hospital. There are no schools, no markets. When a woman or a girl is in her menstrual circle, there is no access to dignity kits for women and girls. We are suffering.”
Conflict has also robbed many families of their livelihoods. Although agriculture remains a viable source of income, repeated attacks by armed groups force residents to flee their farms before they can harvest their crops.
SOUNDBITE (Zande) Suzy John, Rii-rangu mother of five:
"We farm and harvest, but when we are ready to enjoy the fruits of our labor, armed groups come and drive us away. When we return, we find nothing to eat. Hunger is too much. We cannot go and live in town because this is where we farm and feed our children. But insecurity remains a major challenge. Our house was burnt down, and now we are living under this tent."
To support residents and identify solutions, UNMISS conducts regular patrols to isolated communities to assess security, identify protection concerns, and engage local authorities and humanitarian partners on urgent needs.
SOUNDBITE (English) Senyo Kofi Dzamefe, Military Observer, United Nations Mission in South Sudan:
“We are here as part of the UNMISS mandate to protect civilians and monitor possible human rights violations. During our visit, we engaged with members of the community who told us about several challenges, including the abandonment of their health facility and primary school. As you can see behind me, this is part of Rii-rangu Primary School in Western Equatoria. We came to assess the situation, and we will report our findings to the UNMISS leadership.”
For UNMISS, each patrol is an opportunity to assess threats faced by civilians and support efforts to create safer conditions for displaced families to return home and rebuild their lives. For residents of Rii-rangu, the main aim is to live in safety so they can rebuild their homes, restore basic services, and enjoy the better future they deserve.
