Continued fighting in South Kordofan brings more refugees to South Sudan

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

May 3, 2012 (BENTIU) – Recent fighting between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army–North (SPLA-N) rebels and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in Julud and Talodi, South Kordofan state has led to an increasing number of people fleeing across the national border into Unity state of South Sudan.

By the end of April, Sudanese rebels in South Kordofan tried once again to take the control of Talodi which located near the border with the South Sudan. But the government forces repelled the attack, as the area is seen strategic for both parties.

On Wednesday and Thursday over 600 people arrived at Yida refugee camp, Unity state, according to the UN’s World Food Program (WFP) and Samaritan’s Purse (SP), who are logging entrants at the registration point.

Fatima Halima who was displaced from Julud in the west of South Kordofan described the recent clashes between rebels and SAF as disastrous for the people leaving there. She said the conflict was causing acute suffering to the women and children of the state.

Halima lost her husband in August when SAF planes bombed their area. She said she had been lucky to reach the refugee camp.

Halima described a difficult life in South Kordofan where under the threat of bombing raids people struggled to carry on the daily lives; going to the field to farm or tend their cattle. She said many children had been left behind and many had died in the ongoing conflict.

Many of the refugees travelled without food for days, surviving on leaves and roots for sustenance.

Medicins Sans Frontieres and SP said they have admitted into their treatment centre, more than a hundred children suffering from malnutrition.

Mohamed Sadig Hassan, a nutrition nurse with SIR described the situation with regards to the admission of sick children as worsening.

The WFP is distributing emergency foods and MSF is vaccinating people at the point of entry, before they are allocated land for settlement in Yida refugee camp. The aids agencies’ working in Yida confirm that during the last two days they have received a large number of refugees fleeing from recent fighting in the Western Nuba region of South Kordofan.

A post-secession, botched attempt by SAF to disarm troops which had been loyal to South Sudan initiated a conflict which had been brought to the brink by the contested gubernatorial election success of Khartoum’s candidate in the state; Ahmed Haroun – a man wanted by the International Criminal Court for the crimes he committed in Darfur.

(ST)