The number of refugees from South Sudan has passed one million after renewed violence in July forced thousands to flee to neighbouring countries, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, according to the United Nations.
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About 60,000 people have fled South Sudan since fighting broke out between rival army factions in July, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees says.
A surge of people, more than 11,000, many of them from the Nuer tribe, have crossed into Gambella during the past week, bringing the number of South Sudanese refugees in that country to more than 292,000. “They include survivors of violent attacks, sexual assault, children that have been separated from their parents or traveled alone, the disabled, the elderly and people in need of urgent medical care”.
In terms of numbers, Uganda (373,626) accounts for the largest share of South Sudanese refugees.
The report was the first major project by the Sentry, whose partners have focused on the financial connections to endemic conflicts in some of Africa’s most troubled places, including Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
The U.N. Security Council on September 14 held consultations on South Sudan’s ongoing crisis.
“South Sudanese Vice President Taban Deng had given assurances that Juba will expel rebels within 21 days after his trip to Khartoum”, Sudan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kamal Ismail said, quoted by Sudan Media Centre, close to the powerful National Intelligence and Security Service.
“Essentially the meeting agreed that the government of South Sudan should send a delegation to Nairobi to deliberate on the subject”, Esipisu said soon after.
USA expressed disappointment South Sudan leaders had failed to harness peace with the August 2015 peace agreement in the wake of personal power struggles and individual enrichment. Violent clashes involving tanks, helicopter gunships and heavy weaponry have continued since a peace agreement was signed in August 2015.
This also means that aid agencies are finding it increasingly challenging to cater to the needs of the 1.61 million people who have been internally displaced since the conflict began in December 2013. UNHCR is calling on donors to provide US$701 million for South Sudan refugee operations, of which 20 per cent has been funded.
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South Sudan’s government said it was deeply concerned by the release of a report by US group Sentry alleging corruption among top officials, saying such allegations would damage peace efforts in a nation which has been riven by war.
