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Oxfam to leave South Sudan amid escalating violence

International aid group, Oxfam, announced its decision to remove its staff from the South Sudan border on Sunday, citing worsening violence and fears for the safety of Oxfam's twenty-two staff present.

The announcement follows the bombing of a refugee camp in South Sudan on Thursday. Both the UN and South Sudan have accused Sudan of launching the attack.

The Oxfam aid workers had been providing clean water for 64,000 people.

In a statement, the aid group said,

"Oxfam teams were about to start an assessment in Upper Nile to provide aid to new refugees. They have fled attacks and walked for days to reach a place they thought would be safe."

"Oxfam staff there reported bombing and heavy artillery for several hours on Friday,"

"They have witnessed planes flying overhead and a build-up of South Sudanese troops over the past few days."

Tens of thousands of civilians have sought refugee across the border in South Sudan, since fighting escalating in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile region between South Sudanese rebels and Sudan's military.

See related articles:

US extends sanctions on South Sudan (Nov 2011)

UN calls for probe into Sudanese war crimes (Aug 2011)


 

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