JUBA, South Sudan, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- U.N. peacekeepers in South Sudan said they were out on patrol in high numbers to ensure families affected by fighting can get access to humanitarian aid.
The U.N. Mission in South Sudan said it stepped up its military presence in Jonglei state to ensure civilians can move freely and safely to food distribution centers.
"The patrols are being conducted daily, both on foot and [in] vehicles," the mission said in a statement Tuesday.
UNMISS estimates approximately 100,000 civilians have been affected by fighting between national and rebel forces.
South Sudan in 2011 became an independent country under the terms of a peace deal ending civil war in the region. Border conflicts, ethnic fighting and disputes over oil have threatened the fragile peace.
The European Union said last month it was "deeply concerned" by simmering conflict in Sudan's troubled region of Darfur, but expressed similar frustration with ongoing national security challenges in Jonglei, South Sudan's largest state.
