Hundreds of refugees from South Sudan’s Upper Nile state and some families from Sudan’s Blue Nile state have recently arrived to Sherkole camp in Ethiopia.

The camp, also known as Kubri Khamsa, has hosted refugees from Blue Nile in Sudan since 2011 but has seen a new influx of people from Upper Nile since the outbreak of war in South Sudan in December 2013.

A summer offensive by the Sudanese Armed Forces against rebel-held areas of Blue Nile has also pushed more people across the Ethiopian border. The majority of the new arrivals from Blue Nile had been stranded in Kurmuk Locality due to fighting in the area.

A refugee living in the camp told Radio Tamazuj that about 203 South Sudanese from Upper Nile besides another seven people from Blue Nile have recently arrived in the camp.

She pointed out that the new arrivals from Blue Nile had been stranded for more than a year in Kurmuk Locality owing to fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army North.

The source further revealed humanitarian organizations operating in the camp started registration in order to provide the new arrivals with assistance at Jembe area near Sherkole camp.  

Photo: Tents at Sherkole camp, 2011 (Flickr/Canadian Lutheran World Relief)