South Sudan violence leaves 120,000 displaced

French supermajor Total said on Tuesday the exploration for oil over a large area in South Sudan's Jonglei state will commence, which has been scheduled for a new oil pipeline project.

However, United Nations says the recent violence in the area has displaced 120,000 people in recent weeks.

Locals from the Likongole village have begun returning back to their homes, but say the tribesman destroy their properties..

"All the houses were burned down and everything has been destroyed. We only remain with nothing and we remain with only a trace there is nothing there is no people and the people that are now coming are civilians but the townies ran away, some of them were killed and few of them are now in Pibor. So we have only a few civilians who are just coming from the bush. The Likongole of today is now bush, it is a desert," Likongole resident, Juma, said.

The escalating fighting has affected mostly women and children following live stock theft.

In late December 2011, the main Murle town of Pibor was attacked by 6,000 armed Lou Nuer tribesmen, leaving at least 2,000 people dead, according to local authorities.

The U.N. World Food Programme says it is trying to feed the victims who fled and had many of their grain stores destroyed. Shelters and medical supplies are also being distributed. Meanwhile, WFP stocks may only feed some 80,000 people to last two weeks.

"We are distributing today and the atmosphere looks quite hectic, but I can also see that the people are coming out from the forest and just looking at their faces and talking to the officials people are starting to feel that there is help, help is finally arriving and people are looking more positively to the future," U.N. World Food Programme country director, Chris Nikoi, said.

Last week an agreement was made to build an oil pipeline through Jonglei state and onto Kenya.