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KAMPALA - 6 Nov 2016

Bibidi refugee camp becomes third largest in the world

In just over two months the Yumbe district in Uganda has turned from a small border village to the third largest refugee camp in the world, according a United Nations agency.

By early November, the Bibidi refugee settlement near the border of Uganda and South Sudan has grown to a size of nearly 190,000 people. Since fighting erupted in the capital of Juba in July, nearly 300,000 people have fled to Uganda, according to OCHA.

Most of the refugees come from the Central Equitoria area of the country which has seen persistent fighting. Internal displacement has also been driven by the fighting.

“Tens of thousands of people from surrounding areas have displaced into Yei town, while thousands more are thought to be stranded in the bush sin areas outside the town,” OCHA said.

On November 1st, nearly 6,000 new arrivals crossed into Uganda, the third highest number of any single day since the fighting began in July. Still, the camp is under funded.