Since an attack on Pigi County of Jonglei State hundreds of people are cut off from humanitarian supplies and living on a remote island, according to the county commissioner.

In mid-July gunmen said to be ‘rebels’ attacked from neighboring areas into Pigi County causing thousands of people to flee to Atar island, largely unreachable to humanitarian agencies.

Pigi County Commissioner Abraham Dau Gueng, speaking to Radio Tamazuj from Malakal town downriver from the county, said that he thinks rebels are still present in the county.

Dau said the six people that were injured by the rebels when they entered Pigi town were still stranded at Atar river, having no way to be transported to either Malakal or Bor.

“There is no communications, no humanitarian aid, no healthcare… there’s no clinic. There was a clinic in Atar but since the events of the 15th until now there are no services there, there’s no medicine there,” he said. 

The commissioner had few details because there are no telephones or other communications to the area. He estimated that the populations of the three payams of Atar, Pigi and Lela fled to the Atar highland.

The commissioner stressed that there are no government soldiers in the Pigi County area and therefore no reason for the civilians to be targeted by rebels.

Commissioner Dau asked the government and UN agencies to look at possible ways to offer assistance to the people who escaped to the highland.

Photo: Fangak County, Jonglei (Medair)

Related:

Unknown gunmen carry out attack in Pigi County (17 July)