Nearly 52,841 South Sudanese refugees have arrived in the Gambella region in neighbouring Ethiopia since 3 September 2016 due to insecurity and food shortage in most parts of Upper Nile and Jonglei States, a United Nations agency said.

The United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its weekly bulletin that about 52,690 new arrivals were registered level 1 and relocated to Jewi, Kule, Tierkidi and Nguenyyiel refugee camps, while 151 level 1 registered persons await relocation.

The report pointed out that on average, about 456 individuals arrived on a daily basis from 3 September to 27 December 2016. It noted that of the total registered new arrivals, 64 per cent are children under the age of 18, including 10,426 unaccompanied and separated children.

According to OCHA, the new arrivals, mostly from the Upper Nile and Jonglei States were reported to have fled from insecurity and food shortage. As of 30 November 2016, the total number of South Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers in Ethiopia has reached 328,145, according to the UN agency.

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