(Feb. 17, 2014) Upper Nile State Minister of Information Philip Jiben says the fighting occurred Sunday, but has since ended.
Jiben tells Radio Miraya in an exclusive interview, that despite the fighting, the oil fields in the State are safe.
Speaking on humanitarian issues, the information Minister says several NGOs including MSF, the Red Cross and the World Food Program are on the ground providing assistance to those in need.
Jiben says 40 percent of the population in the State has returned to their homes.
Still in Upper Nile, authorities in Melut County say they lack food items to feed more than four hundred (400) children who lost their parents during the conflict.
The county commissioner, Akoug Ting says the orphans have been placed with IDPs families for temporary care.
“We have nearly 423 kids who lost their parents and were gathered in one place and now no nutrition for them, the county is giving them a small amount of food like rice, milk and sugar which are not enough because those children are some of them are staying with their relatives and some in groups”.
The commissioner says there are up to 75-thousand IDPs in his county in need of food, shelter and humanitarian assistance.