Background
Over the past year, there has been increasing tension among government forces, armed groups and the civilian populations in Mundri West county of Western Equatoria State. These tensions have resulted in several episodes of violence which led to the displacement of tens of thousands of residents of Mundri West.
Beginning in May, 2015, the host population, cattle migrants from neighboring states and government soldiers clashed in Mundri West resulting in the death of two government soldiers in Mundri Farasika, about 3km from Mundri town.
The following day, the County Executive Director was killed, sparking fighting in Mundri town which continued sporatically for several days. In the course, the population of Mundri town moved to the neighboring villages and further locations outside Mundri town such as Lui, Kediba, Amadi, Kotobi, Bari, Gariya, Bangolo, and even Juba. A total of 23 individuals were reported killed during this incident and an estimated 30,000 individuals were displaced from Mundri West County.
Between June and August 2015, IDPs displaced from the May 2015 incident began returning to Mundri town and other locations. However, reported skirmishes between SPLA and armed youth in Mundri town and surrounding areas from October 2015 until late November 2015 caused re-displacement of the returnee population. The skirmishes resulted in nearly 50 people killed an the second displacement of the town’s population.
In Februrary 2016, reported invasions by government forces in Bari, Gariya, Landigwa and Bangolo led to further re-displacement of populations who fled to these areas from first incidents in Mundri Town in May 2015. Some have begun to return