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Ongoing Civil War in South Sudan 

January 9, 2019 
by Emin Ozmen 
According to the UN last reports, more than 4.2 million civilians had been displaced since the beginning of the civil war in South Sudan (2013). Around 120,000 people took refuge in the POC site of Bentiu. Ruthless violence has raged for years in countries located south of Bentiu town. The civilian population has been directly targeted by all warring parties, including with mass killings and gang rapes, forced to live on the run with limited access to shelter, food, water and all life saving medical assistance. In addition, attacks against healthcare facilities have many times cut off local communities from much needed medical assistance. Even if a peace agreement was signed on September 2018, the conflict still goes on in different locations of South Sudan and people still live in fear and still have immense humanitarian and medical needs in both Bentiu and its surroundings. Before the current crisis, the Republic of South Sudan was already facing considerable humanitarian challenges. The legacy of civil war and chronic under-development impacted heavily on the ability to provide basic services and respond to humanitarian needs, rendering communities vulnerable to the effects of insecurity, displacement food shortages, outbreaks of disease and seasonal floods. The civil war that lasted over 20 years took an enormous toll and left South Sudan improvised.
As the conflict is entering its sixth year in December 15th, Magnum photographer Emin Ozmen has documented the crisis on the field alongside Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) teams.

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