In an effort to save over five million people, South Sudan’s Catholic bishops have asked for the world’s help
Mass starvation faces South Sudan as the country suffers from the “scorched-earth” policies of the factions fighting a civil war in the region.
South Sudanese civilians are being targeted by both sides in the country’s three-year civil war.
Food shortages are made worse by problems of unemployment as civilians are forced from their homes and land by the opposing forces.
Among the most vulnerable to starvation are more than three million refugees and people internally displaced by fighting between the supporters of President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar.
Added to this is soaring inflation and poor rains, meaning that the country had now entered a critical time, the bishops said.
They also spoke of war crimes being committed by people on both sides of the fighting.
“The killing, torturing and raping of civilians is a war crime,” they bishops said.
“People have been herded into their houses which were then set on fire.”
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