UN to reinforce peacekeeping force in South Sudan

A United Nations spokeswoman said on Friday that the situation in the South Sudanese state of Jonglei was deteriorating, as thousands of heavily armed youths from the Lou Nuer ethnic group advance on the town of Pibor, a major town in the state.        

Lisa Grande - the UN's deputy envoy for South Sudan - said many civilians had fled the ongoing violence in Jonglei and scattered in the bush.            She said the UN didn't know how many people had been displaced but the figure was probably well over 20-thousand.      

According to Grande, the UN had to suspend plans to deliver humanitarian aid on Friday morning after reports of deteriorating security in the affected areas.       

Aid had made it as far as Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, where it was loaded onto a plane but then unable to proceed to the restive areas of the state. Jonglei is one of 10 states in South Sudan, which became independent from Sudan in July.          

UNMISS (UN Mission in South Sudan) has reinforced its peacekeeping force in Jonglei and is also carrying out continuous air patrols to prevent potential violence. According to the UN, tens of thousands of people have fled Likuangole and Pibor and congregated south of Pibor, scattered in the bush or gathered where water and trees for shelter are available.       

There are also reports of displaced people continuing further south.