The number of South Sudanese who have fled their conflict-ridden homeland for a neighboring country passed 1 million this week following renewed violence, the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, said Friday.
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Tens of thousands of people have died in South Sudan and more than 2.5 million driven from their homes since a brutal civil war erupted in the world’s youngest country in December 2013.
“This is a very sad milestone”, said United Nations refugee agency spokesman Leo Dobbs.
South Sudan’s government is challenging a new report by a USA -based watchdog group that says the country’s leaders have amassed wealth overseas amid a conflict in which tens of thousands have been killed.
The number of refugees from South Sudan has passed the one million mark after a renewed bout of fierce fighting in July sent almost 200,000 people fleeing the war-scarred nation, the UN said yesterday.
“These countries have commendably kept their doors open to the new arrivals”, Dobbs told reporters at the Palais des Nations. About 300 people a week have been crossing into Kenya, which now has over 90,000 South Sudanese refugees.
Refugees who fled the recent violence in South Sudan and crossed the border into Uganda arrive and await transportation from a transit center in the town of Koboko, Uganda. An estimated 40,000 South Sudanese refugees are said to be in the country.
It said the refugees in neighboring countries “arrive exhausted after days [of] walking in the bush and going without food or water”.
South Sudan’s government is challenging a new report by a USA -based watchdog group that says the country’s leaders have amassed wealth overseas amid a conflict in which tens of thousands have been killed. “Many children have lost one or both of their parents”, Dobbs said.
Some of these refugees are victims of “violent attacks, sexual assault, children (who) have been separated from their parents. and people in need of urgent medical care”, the agency stated.
Speaking to state media on Sunday, Kamal Ismail, a minister of state in the foreign ministry, said that South Sudan had pledged to expel the militant groups within 21 days during a visit last month.
Last week, South Sudanese Army Spokesperson, Lul Ruai Koang, told Sudan Tribune that they will expels rebels fighting its northern neighbour once it receives directives from the high command.
But refugees report increased fighting in southern South Sudan and attacks by armed groups that murder civilians, loot villages, forcibly recruit young men and boys and rape women and girls.
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With no apparent end to the crisis, UNHCR is calling on donors to provide $701 million to further support its South Sudan refugee operations, of which 20 percent has been funded.
