MSF pulls out of South Sudan’s Yei and Morobo counties over staff safety concerns

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has suspended all operational activities in South Sudan’s Yei River and Morobo counties for at least six weeks, following the abduction of one of its staff members.

The incident took place during an evacuation of MSF staff from Morobo to Yei due to worsening security conditions. According to the organisation, a four-vehicle convoy was intercepted by armed men, who forcibly removed the team leader from one of the vehicles and dragged him into the surrounding bush. The rest of the staff and vehicles were allowed to continue to Yei.

"We are outraged by this targeted attack. Attacks on humanitarian workers serving the most vulnerable members of the society must stop. While we are deeply committed to providing care to those in need, we cannot keep our staff working in an unsafe environment," said Dr Ferdinand Atte, MSF’s Head of Mission in South Sudan, on Tuesday.

This incident marks the second abduction in just four days, following the kidnapping of a health ministry official from an MSF ambulance at the same location.

Targeted violence

"This abduction is part of a disturbing trend of targeted violence on healthcare and aid workers in these counties. In just three months, several incidents of violence targeting aid workers and healthcare facilities have been reported in Morobo, including forceful abductions, arson, violent looting of hospitals, and damage to medical infrastructure. Seven of these incidents involved the abduction of aid workers," MSF said in a statement.

The organisation is now calling for accountability and firm guarantees of staff safety from authorities and all parties involved in the conflict, including armed groups operating in Morobo and Yei River counties.

MSF noted that residents of these counties, particularly those in remote or hard-to-reach areas, often lack access to basic services due to poor infrastructure and ongoing armed conflict. As a result, many rely heavily on humanitarian groups like MSF for essential medical care.

"MSF is one of the few medical organisations providing support to various healthcare facilities in this area. When such attacks occur, it is the local people who suffer the most, as it severely undermines their access to essential healthcare. It is crucial to ensure safe and unobstructed access to populations in need and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including healthcare workers, patients, and medical facilities, before we can consider resuming our activities," Dr Atte added.

In both counties, MSF supports four Ministry of Health facilities, offering primary healthcare services including outpatient consultations, vaccinations, and maternal and child care. The organisation also runs mobile clinics and community-based health programmes through the Boma Health Initiative.

This is the second time in less than three months that MSF has been forced to scale back operations in the region due to insecurity.

"In May, we were forced to reduce activities due to escalating insecurity in the area. MSF has also suspended all activities in camps for internally displaced persons due to the relentless violence in Morobo County. Today, MSF had to take the difficult decision to suspend all activities in both counties, until further notice, adding to the growing number of projects and health facilities MSF has had to close this year as a result of attacks," said Dr Atte.

Other Topics To Read

• South Sudan
• MSF
• Doctors Without Borders
• Médecins Sans Frontières
• MSF South Sudan
• Yei
• Morobo
• MSF staff abduction
• Dr Ferdinand Atte
• MSF pulls out of South Sudan’s Yei and Morobo counties over staff safety concerns
• South Sudan