More than 300 refugee families from Blue Nile are living in Oonteek, near the border area with Ethiopia in harsh humanitarian conditions since they fled the war that broke out last September.

Sheikh Hankouk told Radio Tamazuj that the families are forced to live without shelter as there are no humanitarian organisations operating in the area.

Many families were forced to flee on foot leaving all belongings behind, now relying on leaves and berries amid the serious lack of food, water and medicine.

Hankouk said women are forced to walk long distances to find water fearing insecurity along the way.

He said many people were relying on the remnant of their cattle, but many cattle are now dying, bitten by insects spreading disease with no veterinary assistance to save them.