By Jenifer James
King News 24th Sept Juba – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has announced the suspension of all outreach activities in Yei, Central Equatoria State, following a serious security incident involving its staff and members of a partner organization on September 20, 2024.
In a press release on Tuesday, Iqbal Huda, MSF’s Head of Mission in South Sudan, confirmed that the decision was made after armed individuals targeted MSF personnel during an outreach mission. “We are deeply shocked by this unacceptable attack on our efforts to provide neutral and impartial humanitarian assistance to communities in need,” Huda stated.
He emphasized that all outreach efforts in Yei and surrounding areas, including Morobo, will remain on hold until MSF can secure concrete assurances for the safety of its operations.
According to Huda, at around 03:00 pm local time on the day of the attack, two clearly marked MSF vehicles were returning to Yei from an outreach activity when armed men ambushed the convoy. The attackers forced the MSF staff out of their vehicles at gunpoint, stealing both MSF and personal belongings. During the incident, one MSF staff member and one partner organization employee were abducted, while the two drivers were allowed to continue.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) flag (Photo Credit: MSF Applicable)
Although the two abducted individuals were released safely 24 hours later, this marks the third attack on humanitarian organizations in the Yei region within three months, highlighting a troubling pattern of violence against aid workers.
Huda stressed that without guaranteed safety, MSF cannot resume its activities, as such attacks severely impact the provision of critical healthcare to communities in urgent need. He urged all armed groups to honor their obligations under international humanitarian law and to respect the delivery of humanitarian aid.