MSF suspends medical activities in Yei after attack

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has suspended all its outreach activities in Yei River County of Central Equatoria State, following a critical security incident on 20 September involving MSF staff and staff from a partner organization.

By Benjamin Takpiny

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has suspended all its outreach activities in Yei River County of Central Equatoria State, following a critical security incident on 20 September involving MSF staff and staff from a partner organization.

“MSF strongly condemns this attack against health workers in an area where people already face difficulty accessing healthcare. We are deeply shocked by this unacceptable attack on the provision of neutral and impartial humanitarian assistance for communities in need,” said Iqbal Huda (Tidal), MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Two clearly marked MSF vehicles were attacked 3 P.M on Friday, while coming back to the town of Yei from an outreach activity. The unknown armed men forced MSF staff to disembark from their vehicles at gunpoint, while looting MSF and personal belongings.

“The armed men then forcibly took an MSF staff and one staff of a partner organization, to the bush, while letting the two remaining MSF staff, the drivers to proceed with their vehicles,” it said.

It disclosed that the two abducted staff were safely released 24 hours later.

Huda said that the latest incident forced them to suspend outreach movements and activities to communities surrounding Yei and Morobo, until concrete guarantees are made to allow medical, humanitarian services and lifesaving work to continue unhindered in the area.

MSF said that attacks against humanitarians and healthcare workers are unacceptable because they directly affect the provision of healthcare for communities who desperately need it.

It called upon all armed groups to uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian law and respect the provision of humanitarian assistance.

Huda noted that this is the third attack on humanitarian organizations occurring around Yei in 3 months pointing to a systematic attack on the provision of humanitarian aid.

”Until the safety of MSF operations and staff is assured, MSF cannot guarantee resumption of activities in the area. The real victims of these incidents are the most vulnerable people living in underserved areas where MSF is the only provider of healthcare services in this area outside of Yei town,” he said.

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