UN agencies call for safe access to vulnerable people

United Nations, May 3 (IANS) UN high commissioner for refugees and the World Food Programme (WFP) urged all conflicting parties in South Sudan to provide safe access to reach vulnerable people, official said Friday.

The vulnerable people in South Sudan include 125,000 Sudanese refugees in camps in Maban county, Upper Nile State, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here, Xinhua reported.

"Re-supplying refugee camps in Maban County has been complicated by continued insecurity and fighting along the supply routes," he said.

"Roads to Maban are facing imminent closure for the duration of the rainy season, which has already started," he said.

"WFP says it has food supplies that could reach the refugee camps within days by road, but ongoing fighting along key supply routes is preventing deliveries," he added

The violence that has swept South Sudan since December 2013 has left thousands dead and forced around a million people to flee their homes after fighting broke out in the capital Juba between soldiers loyal to South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and forces who sided with Riak Machar, foremer vice president.

Fighting has continued in various parts of the country despite the signing of a cessation of hostilities agreement by the main parties to the conflict in January.

In total, 923,000 South Sudanese were displaced within their own country, while more than 293,000 people have become refugees in neighboring countries since inception of the crisis.

Some 4.9 million people need humanitarian assistance.