UN says over 8,000 Sudanese refugees flee into South Sudan

The UN humanitarian agency said Friday about 8,350 refugees from Sudan have fled into South Sudan since January due to five-year war in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states in Sudan.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest report that South Sudan currently hosts 270,000 refugees, mainly from Sudan. South Sudan is itself home to some 1.69 million internally displaced people.

"Nearly 90 percent of new arrivals are women and children. One child in every ten is alone or without a family member," the UN said.

It said more than 7,500 out of 8,350 Sudanese refugees have settled in Ajoung Thok refugee camp in Pariany County in Unity, while others arrived at Maban camp in Upper Nile, Lasu settlement in Central Equatoria and Makpandu in Western Equatoria.

"After arriving at Yida transit centre, refugees are transported after a few days by bus to Ajuong Thok, a camp established in 2013, where they are provided with household items, plastic sheeting and poles to build a temporary home," the UN said.

The UN said children who are unaccompanied or separated from their families are reunited with their families or placed in foster care.

"With nearly 41,000 Sudanese refugees already living in Ajuong Thok, the camp has almost reached its capacity. The construction of a new camp is underway at Pamir, some 50 kilometres south of the border, to receive new arrivals and refugees who have been living in Yida for the past five years," OCHA said.

The report says the UN Central Emergency Reserve Fund has allocated 6 million U.S. dollars to support the relocation of more than 76,000 refugees from Yida to the new camp in Pamir. Endit