Priest: “We have IDPs, all around the church. More are coming.”

An old woman constructs her hut using grass and sticks, at St. Luke Catholic Church, in South Sudan’s Tombura state. She just arrived, together with thousands others, seeking safety. Picture by Elario Zambakari | 04 June 2018

Another South Sudan Catholic Church Compound is filling quickly with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The church premise of St. Luke, in Tombura, has already received more than one thousand households. The IDPs are fleeing attacks by armed groups mainly from Yangiri County near Yambio, former Western Equatora State. South Sudan’s Yangiri County is an area near DR Congo. Witnesses say the County is experiencing the highest level of insecurities for the first time, since the eruption of violence (in the country) four years ago. More people are expected to arrive at the church, in the coming days.

Oliver Charles is in the neighbouring area of Yambio, and brings us this report: