Displaced children in South Sudan malnourished: UN

, June 24: At least 37 percent of the children in Bentiu of South

are acutely malnourished, media reported Tuesday.

The figure was released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Xinhua reported citing UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

The office said aid agencies in South Sudan continue to maximize water, sanitation, health and nutrition services in the site for displaced people in Bentiu, to tackle the high rate of child mortality.

"Food and nutrition agencies are stepping up screening and treatment to detect malnutrition cases as early as possible," Dujarric said.

Political infighting between President Salva Kiir and former Vice President Riek Machar turned into a full-fledged conflict that has claimed thousands of lives, left nearly five million in need of humanitarian assistance and led to atrocities being committed by both sides.

According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 9,23,000 South Sudanese are displaced within their own country, while more than 2,93,000 people have become refugees in neighbouring countries since the crisis began in mid-December 2013.

IANS