Photo by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Six aid workers died in an ambush in South Sudan in March.
Per CNN, “Six aid workers were killed in an ambush in South Sudan on Saturday, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for the country said.”
The aid workers were from a UN partner known as Grassroots Empowerment and Development Organization (GREDO).
The Guardian reports, “The aid workers, from a Unicef partner, Grassroots Empowerment and Development Organisation (GREDO), which works to support children released from armed groups, were in a vehicle marked as belonging to an NGO when they were attacked on Saturday. Four of the dead were South Sudanese and three were Kenyans.”
This is not a singular incident. Aid workers in South Sudan in the past have died while trying to serve the people there. These attacks have been condemned by the UN.
BBC explains, “‘These attacks against aid workers and aid assets are utterly reprehensible,’ said Mr Owusu. ‘They not only put the lives of aid workers at risk, they also threaten the lives of thousands of South Sudanese who rely on our assistance for their survival.’”
There are millions of people who are suffering from famine and hundreds of thousands of people who are close to starvation.
Per CNN, “About 5 million people are suffering from famine in South Sudan, and about 100,000 are on the brink of starvation.”
After the incident, the government commented saying it was too early to tell who was responsible for the attacks.
The Guardian reports, “The South Sudanese government said it was too early to say who was to blame for the ambush. Akol Paul Kordit, the deputy minister of information, told Reuters in Juba: ‘It will be counterproductive at this stage for anybody to rush for judgement wit first allowing the truth to be established.’”
There were two other attacks in the month of March on humanitarians.
BBC states, “Two other attacks have targeted aid workers this month, according to the UN. A humanitarian convoy was attacked while responding to a cholera outbreak in Yirol East on 14 March, with one health worker and one patient killed.”
UNICEF is working in South Sudan and has been working there since the civil war started. They have treated hundreds of thousands of children with severe malnutrition and continue to do so.
Per UNICEF, “UNICEF has been providing relief in South Sudan since the conflict began, treating 182,545 children under five for severe acute malnutrition in 2016 alone.”
Pray for an end to the killing of humanitarian aid in South Sudan. Pray for many children to be helped by UNICEF. Pray for many children to come to know Christ’s hope in South Sudan.
CNN: 6 aid workers killed in South Sudan
The Guardian: Seven dead in worst attack on aid workers since South Sudan war began
BBC: South Sudan ambush leaves six aid workers dead, UN says
UNICEF: Support South Sudan’s Children
