Thousands of IDPs and refugees returned to Blue Nile: official
April 20, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – A government official at the Blue Nile State on Friday said thousands of refugees have recently returned to the state from South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Blue Nile State and neighbouring South Kordofan state have been the scene of violent conflict between the SPLM-N and the Sudanese army since 2011.
The commissioner of Bau county of the Blue Nile State Abdel-Ghani Digais said his county is witnessing the voluntary return of displaced persons as well as refugees from Ethiopia and South Sudan.
He told the official news agency SUNA that 1700 refugee families have arrived in Madeem and Khor Maganza areas besides 3000 families in Moreek area and 3000 families in Falti area.
The commissioner also pointed to the return of internally displaced persons from Al-Ahmar area in the county of Al-Tadamon.
He praised the efforts of the Sudanese army and the regular forces in achieving security and stability across the state.
Digais also called on the rebels to lay down their arms, saying the door is still open for them to join the peace process and national dialogue.
He urged the residents of Bau country to listen to the voice of reason and return to their homes in order to stop the bloodshed and reconstruct the state.
According to Digais, the Blue Nile is witnessing significant improvement in infrastructure and provision of services due to the stable security situation.
Last January, the governor of the Blue Nile State Hussein Yassen Hamad said 13,000 out of 55,000 Sudanese refugees have returned to their home areas from Ethiopia.
(ST)