Western Bahr el Ghazal state on Sunday received the second batch of 83 returnees from Sudan who were airlifted from Renk in Upper Nile State.
The returnees comprised citizens who hail from Western Bahr el Ghazal, Warrap, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and Western Equatoria states.
Two weeks ago, 250 people who fled fighting in Sudan and arrived in Paloch were airlifted to Wau through the facilitation of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC).
Speaking while receiving the returnees in Wau town, Western Bahr el Ghazal State Governor Sarah Cleto said the state is still to receive eight more flights that will bring more people from Upper Nile.
“We have received the second batch from Renk and before that, we received a flight from Paloch. Today a flight carrying 83 people from Renk has arrived and some of them will go to Northern Bahr El Ghazal State and the remaining will stay here in Wau,” she said. “We shall have eight more flights coming to Wau to bring the remaining families in the shortest time possible.”
Governor Cleto acknowledged the role of the national government in supporting people stranded in Renk to reach their respective areas in the Greater Bahr el Ghazal region.
Meanwhile, Ayen Bol Akuei, one of the returnees, expressed her gratitude to the humanitarian partners and the government for supporting the people who are stranded in Renk.
“The humanitarian partners are providing us and the sick people who fled from hospitals in Khartoum with food and water and we stayed in Renk for 19 days until President Salva Kiir brought us to Wau today (Sunday),” she said.
Another returnee, Wek Madut, said he spent 21 days in Renk before getting on the free flight to Wau.
“When the fighting erupted, we ran until Joda North, and the humanitarian partners brought us to Joda South and then to Renk,” he narrated. I have arrived in Wau town after spending 21 days in Renk and I thank the humanitarian partners and the government for supporting us.”
Last week, the National Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs said it registered nearly 70,000 returnees and refugees who fled the conflict in Sudan. The ministry said the figure was recorded as of 17 April.
Most of those arriving are South Sudanese returning home as well as Sudanese seeking asylum, Eritrean refugees, Kenyan and Somali migrants, and other third-country nationals.