This archive report was first published on 6 December 2019.
At least 67 people have been killed and 100 others wounded in intercommunal clashes in South Sudan's Western Lakes State, a global charity reported on December 6, 2019.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cited local media reports on the death toll, stating that it has evacuated by air 29 people suffering gunshot wounds from the fighting between two sub-clans about 100 km north of Rumbek.
James Reynolds, ICRC's Head of Delegation in South Sudan, expressed regret over the ongoing intercommunal violence, which continues to have devastating consequences in the country.
"The only medical facility in the area is a primary health care unit, which is not equipped to handle high numbers of trauma injuries such as gunshot wounds. Our only option was to evacuate patients by plane to Juba Military Hospital, where our surgical teams are taking care of them," said Reynolds in a statement issued in Juba.
The influx of patients has forced the ICRC to expand the number of beds from 58 to 78 in the ward so that patients can receive post-operative care.
Since the beginning of the year, ICRC has evacuated 327 patients by air to the two surgical facilities it supports in the country.
