Second World Vision Employee Dies from Injuries

July 6, 2013.  A second World Vision Sudan staff member has died from injuries sustained Thursday (4 July) from a grenade explosion at the organisation’s compound near Nyala.

“It is unfortunate that we today lost Sabil Mansour. We are praying for his family, as well as the loved ones of Ali Ibrahim, who was killed Thursday.  Sabil died at noon and will be buried later this afternoon,” says Simon Nyabwengi, World Vision Sudan’s Country Director.

World Vision now has suspended programmes throughout South Darfur, affecting more than 1 million Internally Displace People (IDPs).  These programmes include: food aid, health facilities, water and sanitation interventions, and Child Friendly Spaces in several IDP camps, including Otash, Al Salaam and Kalma.  

In addition, four international staff members in the World Vision compound have now been safely evacuated to Khartoum, Sudan’s capital city. Another employee injured in the fighting, who initially was in critical but now is in stable condition, also was airlifted to Khartoum today and will receive treatment at a hospital with better facilities.

Mr Nyabwengi reported they had to evacuate the injured and international staff members by a commercial flight; initial plans to use United Nations airplanes were delayed.

International staff members say they are excited to be in Khartoum, after the frightening, tense experience Thursday and Friday of the armed rebel groups fighting for several hours.

“The fighting near our office that we have seen in the last few days – injuries and deaths of colleagues – has been a harrowing experience, says Venant Tumwine, a World Vision Sudan employee based at Nyala.

Mr. Tumwine was in the guest house at the time of the grenade attack and described it as “traumatizing.” Fighting between the armed groups raged just outside the World Vision compound.

He gave a glowing tribute to several national staff members who risked their lives during the fighting to take the injured to a local hospital and guide international staff members to the more secure United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) compound for later evacuation.

“The situation at Nyala Teaching hospital, where the injured staff were initially rushed, is desperate. They are currently dealing with an overwhelming number of people,” he says.

Mr Tumwine also noted there has been heavy looting of many international agencies’ local offices.

END

For further information and media interviews, please contact:

Brenda Asiko,

Communications Manager, Sudan (Based in Nairobi)

World Vision International

+254-722-985-306; +254-733-600 688; (Cell)

Email:  brenda_asiko@wvi.org   Skype: brendasiko

Michael Arunga,

Emergency Communications Advisor - Africa,

World Vision International

+254-737-700302 (cell)