SOUTH SUDAN

JUBA. South Sudan — Young men in military uniforms and civilian clothing raped, whipped and clubbed 125 women and girls as they walked to a food distribution site. U.N. officials and aid workers said Saturday.

"What is happening since last week is indescribable. I haven’t got words for it,” said Ruth Okello. a midwife for the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders.

The women were robbed of clothing and shoes, and even their ration cards for food distribution were seized and destroyed, the aid group said.

The group said said that a "dramatic increase" in sexual violence had occurred over 10 days, between Nov. 19 and Thursday as the women and girls were walking to a food distribution site in Bentiu in Unity state.

Sexual violence has been widespread in South Sudan’s civil war, and even under a recent peace deal, humanitarians have warned of higher rates of sexual assault as growing numbers of desperate people try to reach aid.

Okello. who treated some of the survivors, said those targeted included pregnant and elderly women and girls as young as 10.

The United Nations has increased patrols in the area and urged local authorities to hold the attackers accountable.