UNHCR Decries New Influx in South Sudan Amid Call for Ceasefire

JUBA, Xinhua: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on Tuesday expressed concern about the recent increase of people arriving in South Sudan in need of protection and assistance, with tens of thousands of people fleeing fresh violence in border areas of neighboring Sudan.

The UNHCR said over 20,000 Sudanese from border villages crossed into South Sudan last week, tripling the number of daily arrivals compared to previous weeks.

“We urgently call for an immediate cessation of hostilities to protect civilian lives and ensure the continuation of humanitarian assistance,” the UNHCR said in a statement.

It said there have been an additional estimated 7,000 to 10,000 new arrivals each day since Saturday, including more South Sudanese refugees leaving the camps in White Nile State where they have been residing in Sudan.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, the majority of those displaced are women and children, underscoring the impact of the conflict on vulnerable populations.

“Financial resources to support refugees leaving Sudan remain scarce, with the Regional Refugee Response Plan only 30 percent funded as we approach the end of the year,” the UNHCR said.

Many people are arriving at informal crossing points in addition to the main border crossing at Joda as the UNHCR works with neighboring countries and its partners to support millions of people affected by the crisis. All are in need of life-saving humanitarian support, with water and healthcare being the most urgent needs, especially given the ongoing cholera outbreak, the UNHCR said.

Since the Joda border crossing with South Sudan is a crucial crossing point between Sudan and South Sudan and provides a lifeline for civilians escaping violence as well as for humanitarian operations in White Nile State, the UN body also voiced concern about the military activity and increased tension there.

More than 12 million people have been displaced since the war in Sudan began in April 2023, including over 3 million who have sought refuge in neighboring countries, making this one of the largest and most pressing displacement crises in the world, the UNHCR said.