Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Saturday that it had given emergency medical and psychological help to 157 women and girls who have been raped, beaten and brutalized in South Sudan's Rubkona county since mid-November.

Mitchell Sangma, MSF's medical coordinator in Juba, told DW that the women had typically traveled from neighboring communities, oftentimes a three-hour walk through sparse jungle, to collect food distributed in Bentiu to take back home to their families.

Read more: Uganda's double game in South Sudan civil war revealed

The MSF clinic in Bentiu has treated women up to the age of 65 with bruises and swelling after they were beaten with clubs and sticks. Some of the younger victims were girls as young as 10 who were treated for genital lacerations. Even pregnant women were targeted.

The perpetrators were reportedly large groups of aggressive assailants, often numbering anywhere from five to 20 men, most of whom were armed, masked and dressed in civilian clothing. MSF also had reports of men wearing military uniforms.

South Sudan: children of the war zone Displaced persons, missing parents More than 30,000 people live in the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Juba, capital of South Sudan. Around 7,000 are children who have lost contact with their parents. The NGO Nonviolent Peaceforce is trying to reunite them.

South Sudan: children of the war zone Family tracing and reunification The first step is to establish a child's identity and then to collect as much information as possible which could assist in locating the parents. This data is placed online and can be accessed by all international organizations working in child protection in South Sudan. If the search for the family proves fruitless, or if the child has been orphaned, foster parents are found.

South Sudan: children of the war zone All-female peacekeepers In South Sudan, Nonviolent Peaceforce focuses on the protection of women and children, who rarely participate in armed conflict, but are disproportionately affected by it. To this end, Nonviolent Peaceforce is forming all-female Women's Peacekeeping Teams, specially trained in tackling sexual and gender-based violence.

South Sudan: children of the war zone Women's Peacekeeping Teams As well as training, the Women's Peacekeeping Teams are also given follow-up support as they seek to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. The teams liaise with women in the communities, helping them to identify risks and counter them. The teams are also in contact with authorities so that culprits can be held accountable for their actions.

South Sudan: children of the war zone Ulang in Upper Nile State The civil war began as a political dispute, but it has reopened ethnic fault lines between the Dinka people of President Salva Kiir and the Nuer of rebel leader Riek Machar . Ulang in Upper Nile State is dominated by the Nuer. It was attacked by government in troops in May 2015 and dozens were killed. The once tranquil region found itself caught up in conflict.

South Sudan: children of the war zone Child protection projects in Ulang Nonviolent Peaceforce runs a child protection project in Ulang, one of six in South Sudan. These projects vary in accordance with local needs. In Ulang, community volunteers ensure that the children have access to recreation and sports.

South Sudan: children of the war zone Soccer on a former battleground At Ulang's Kopuot Primary School, children are playing a game of soccer as part of a child protection project. The building in the background is pockmarked with bullet holes, an ever-present reminder that the school was a target for government troops during their May offensive.

South Sudan: children of the war zone Back to school All teaching materials and other supplies at the school were destroyed in the government offensive. But now, in makeshift classrooms, the struggle to acquire an education goes on. Author: Fellipe Abtreu Author:



'Abhorrent' attacks

The assailants rob and beat the women and girls on their way home. Their food is taken, along with other valuables such their clothes and shoes. Women who travel in groups for safety are overpowered, and even when men accompany them, they have been unable to fend off the armed attackers.

The United Nations mission chief, David Shearer, said the "abhorrent" attacks were carried out by young men in military uniforms and in civilian clothing. The UN said it had increased patrols in the area and launched an investigation while urging local authorities to hold the attackers accountable.

Read more: South Sudan: Armed groups free over 300 child soldiers

High level of sexual violence

The UN's World Food Program said that it was looking into whether it could move food distribution sites closer to communities in the area. A United Nations panel of experts monitoring sanctions on South Sudan said it remained "extremely concerned" about the continued high level of conflict-related sexual violence, despite the peace deal.

The state minister for information in Northern Liech State, where the attacks were reported, disputed the magnitude of the reports. "We are a state (that) respects human rights, and women's rights top our list," Lam Tungwar said.

Watch video 02:08 South Sudan: Picking up trash for peace

War-scarred nation

In 2013, just two years after declaring independence, South Sudan was plunged into a bloody civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions.

The country remains riven with ethnic grievances and awash with weapons despite a fragile peace accord signed in September by the government and rebel groups.

Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.