White Nile state receives 3,283 refugees from South Sudan
January 20, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The chairman of the coordinating committee for the reception of South Sudan refugees in White Nile state al-Tayeb Mohammed Abdullah announced on Monday the arrival of 3,283 more refugees to al-Salam locality most of whom are women and children.
The official added that the refugees came to a warm welcome from the region’s residents by virtue of the historical ties that connect them and noted that the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) distributed food to them.
He pointed out that the committee held a meeting with the al-Salam local security committee to determine a crossing point that would receive the refugees who will be handed afterwards to the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees which will be responsible for transporting them and providing services to them in coordination with HAC along international and national NGO’s.
The Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir said they do not want to establish camps for the South Sudanese refugees fleeing the current crisis and vowed to allow them to enter the country and settle anywhere without restrictions or any formality.
The United Nations agency for refugees (UNHCR) external relations officer Nicolas Brass last week estimated that at least 10,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in Sudan since the start of fighting last December.
UN agencies estimate that over 400,000 are now displaced inside the South Sudan and 74,000 others moved into neighboring countries.
(ST)