South Sudan: Aid agency suspends work over staff abductions

Medical charity MSF has said it was suspending work in the Central Equatorial region of South Sudan over attacks on its staff.

The decision followed the kidnapping of the charity's staff member on Tuesday. Operations are specifically suspended in the counties of Yei River and Morobo in Central Equatorial state.

The incident occurred during an evacuation of MSF staff from Morobo to Yei prompted by deteriorating security conditions, the organisation said.

An evacuation convoy was intercepted by gunmen who ordered the team leader out, before pulling him into the thickets.

The vehicles were allowed to proceed after the kidnapping.

MSF's head of mission in South Sudan called the abduction a targeted attack on humanitarian workers.

It is the second time the charity is scaling back operations in Central Equatorial in three months.

The charity said 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.