Vatican City - As violence rises in South Sudan's Upper Nile province and forces tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. The Pope has expressed his concern over the recent reports of violence in South Sudan. "Let us pray to the Lord for peace and national reconciliation, that the attacks will cease, and that civilians will always be respected," he pleaded for prayer. This plea comes as he gets set to visit the East African nation as part of a peace-seeking ecumenical pilgrimage.

The appeal following the Sunday Angelus reverberates as the UN Refugee Agency issues a dire warning about the worsening humanitarian situation caused by the intensifying armed conflict in South Sudan's Upper Nile state, which has displaced tens of thousands of vulnerable people. This comes before the Pope's scheduled ecumenical pilgrimage for peace to South Sudan from 3–5 February 2023.

As a result of the recent violence in South Sudan's Upper Nile state, over 9,000 individuals, according to sources, have fled their homes.

At least 20,000 individuals, including several thousand across the border, have left since August, according to the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR. In Upper Nile's Fashoda County, fighting between armed factions has displaced over 9,000 individuals over the past month, the vast majority of them are women and children.

Numerous people have lost their lives due to the ongoing conflict. Traumatized residents on the run recount homicides, injuries, gender-based violence, abductions, extortion, pillaging, and the torching of property.

Meanwhile, the African Union and the United Nations met last week to assess the deteriorating situation in neighbouring Sudan. It occurred as military commanders made plans to return authority to civilian groups in an effort to end a protracted political impasse.

Disaster has befallen the country ever since the army in 2019 deposed longtime tyrant Omar al-Bashir.

Meanwhile in Juba, the government has withdrawn from peace talks with rebel factions after accused them of manipulating the sessions "to gain time as they prepare for war."

Sant'Egidio community members in Rome mediated meetings between government representatives and a coalition of rebel groups that did not sign a 2018 peace agreement that concluded a five-year civil conflict.

A ceasefire was agreed in January of 2020, however negotiations began in 2019. This has not resulted in a reduction of violence in the south of the country.
-VN