Some 2,500 South Sudanese are fleeing the country each day to seek refuge in Uganda, the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR announced today.
By Tuesday, about 24,000 refugees from South Sudan have arrived in Uganda since the conflict erupted in December 15, UNHCR reported.
South Sudanese refugees are also fleeing to other neighbouring countries. At least 5,300 refugees have been registered in Ethiopia. In north-west Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp, 300 South Sudanese are now arriving daily amounting to 3,173 registered new arrivals. UNHCR suspects that several thousand went to Sudan.
The UNHCR has reduced its staff by 200 people because of fighting and insecurity, but says it will continue to supply services to some 230,000 existing refugees at ten camps in South Sudan.
In Maban, north-eastern South Sudan, just four UNHCR international staff and 11 national staff have been working with partners and refugees to serve 120,000 refugees in four camps. They try to manage health services and maintaining water pumps.
Photo: South Sudanese fleeing their country into Uganda (AP)