Around 8,000 civilians are stranded near the border with South Sudan having fled air strikes in Al Bao locality in Blue Nile state.

Hashim Orta SPLM-N official of humanitarian affairs said the situation is desperate with no food, medicine or shelter.

He told Radio Tamazuj the situation for those fleeing is 'catastrophic' and said 240 civilians were killed in recent shelling by government forces, with many more expected to die from hunger.

Orta appealed to the international community and humanitarian organisations to act immediately to save thousands of families fleeing without any food, medicine or water.

He described what was happening in those villages as 'genocide' and stressed the need for the international community to break their silence and take urgently needed action because the situation deteriorates further.