Sexual violence continues to plague communities in South Sudan

The armed conflict in South Sudan has declined in intensity nationwide but sexual violence continues to plague communities, UN-appointed independent investigators said on Monday.

In an update to the Human Rights Council, the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said that women in the northern town of Bentiu, as well as Yei and Wau states, say they are still victims of high levels of sexually-motivated attacks.

Although the panel's report does not indicate the number of incidents, chairperson of the panel Yasmin Sooka insisted that rape "has not stopped" in the East African country.