South Sudanese authorities impose curfew in Wau town

June 27, 2016 (WAU) – Authorities in South Sudan’s newly created Wau state have imposed a curfew in Wau town after the recent clashes which left an unknown number of people dead and thousands more displaced.

In a press statement released to the media on Monday after the first security meeting since the Saturday’s clashes, the state police commissioner, Chol Thuc, also said the situation is now normal and that those who fled the town during the clashes should now return to their homes.

“After the incidents that took place in the past two days, the state security committee set today and came up with the orders, one of these orders is those who fled the town, the civilians who fled out should return. Number two, in their return, the civilians have a full protection, there is no fear. Number three, the committee has also decided to impose curfew,” said Thuc.

“We are not preventing the movement of the people but we want at hours from 10:PM, nobody should move anyhow except if it is a condition that there is somebody sick and now I want to say, Wau town is safe and no fear, let all people come back in peace,” he said.

Meanwhile the state speaker of legislative assembly, Anyar Anyar Dor, urged humanitarian agencies to reach mostly affected populations with humanitarian aid.

“Our appeal to the UN agencies especially the team of medical facilities, should intervene because during these past two days, those families which fled their homes with young children need medical
treatment for malaria and other deceases,” said Dor.

“What happened was a surprise to everybody but as a government, we are calling on our civilians to return homes,” he said.

Since heavy clashes in the town throughout Friday evening and Saturday, thousands of people have now fled their homes, some have sheltered at the Red Cross compound, others in the churches, mosques and many more fled from the town.

(ST)