South Sudan: Seven aid workers released April 15 (Morobo county)

Event

On Sunday, April 15, anti-government forces released seven aid workers who had been kidnapped in Yei River state's (formerly Central Equatoria) Morobo county on March 25. According to local sources, the aid workers were released in good health and were handed over to UN officials near South Sudan's border with Uganda. It is unclear if a ransom was paid to secure their release.

Context

The seven South Sudan Health Association (SSUHA) aid workers were abducted by anti-government forces on Sunday, March 25, while they were delivering health supplies in Yei River state's Morobo county. The rebels responsible for the incident had announced that the NGO employees were not abducted but arrested, as they did not have the appropriate clearance to work in the area.

South Sudan has been wracked by years of political, interethnic, and intercommunal violence - exacerbated by border and oil revenue disputes with Sudan. Following the 2011 signature of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that gave the country its independence from Sudan, the predominantly north-south conflict gave way to a pattern of internal violence. Since December 2013, the country has experienced an intermittent civil war waged between the government of President Salva Kiir and the SPLA on one side, and the former Vice President Riek Machar and the SPLA-IO on the other. The conflict has continued despite international support for state-building and peacekeeping - including the 12,000-strong UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), deployed since 2011. The number of South Sudanese citizens displaced by the conflict currently stands at some 3.5 million.

Advice

Many Western governments advise against nonessential travel to South Sudan. Certain regions should be particularly avoided, including the states of Unity and Upper Nile, the north of Warrap state, parts of Eastern and Central Equatoria states, and areas along the borders with the Central African Republic, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. If travel is necessary, ensure that proper security protocols are in place.