South Sudan records surge in refugees fleeing from West Kordofan
November 9, 2023 (JUBA) – South Sudan has recorded a sharp rise in refugees fleeing conflict in neigbouring Sudan, thus placing a constraint on the available local resources.
The Aweil East county in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State commissioner, Kerubino Thiep Tong said they witnessed influx of refugees from neighbouring Sudan in recent days.
“People in Majok Yinhthiou are telling me they are hearing sounds of heavy and sustained gunfire in Merram, a locality administered by the West Kordofan state government in Sudan. Our people were living there and as a result of these military activities, we have received reports that some people have died,” he explained.
So far, 23 people, who are our people from South Sudan, have been killed, said Tong.
“From the information I got on the ground, now Majok Yinthiou, Majak Wuoi, and Warguet have been flooded with people fleeing the conflict in Merram”, he stated.
Many towns and localities in Sudan bordering South Sudan have been battlegrounds between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the military for several months since the conflict erupted in mid-April.
Northern Bahr El Ghazal is one of the states at the border with Sudan. It shares a direct border with eastern Darfur and Western Kordofan states in Sudan. The area has been witnessing the daily arrival of returnees and Sudanese refugees at different entry points, some of whom complained of rape and looting of personal belongings at gun points.
The Aweil East county commissioner appealed for humanitarian support, pointing to the constraint of local resources due to influx of returnees and refugees in recent months.
An update by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released on Wednesday shows border monitoring teams observed a 49 percent increase in new arrivals this week. Of the new arrivals reaching Joda, 63 percent are Sudanese refugees seeking asylum and security. On 27 October, over 3,000 individuals/531 households were recorded at the Joda border. Reasons for the increase include the deteriorating security situation in Sudan, limited access to services, and fears of an escalation of conflict in other parts of Sudan, including Kosti and nearby areas.
(ST)