Around seven thousand South Sudanese have fled to West Kordofan because of severe food shortages, according to a report from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Sudan.

“The situation of refugees in El Meiram is reportedly very poor, with most having fled severe food shortages in South Sudan and having received no humanitarian food assistance since arrival” the OCHA report said.

The World Food Program was unable to distribute food rations in April despite having supplies because of a lack of security clearance.

“Local authorities cited concerns about conducting a food distribution targeting only South Sudanese refugees in an area where local populations are also highly vulnerable” according to OCHA.

Refugees from East Darfur, South Darfur and West Kordofan states are from Northern Bahr al Ghazal and Warrap states in South Sudan. The refugees are driven by ongoing conflict and heightened food insecurity resulting from poor harvests, restricted trade, depreciating currency and steeply rising staple food prices.

In East Darfur, an inter-agency mission traveled to Abu Jabra, Abu Matarig and El Ferdous on May 10th, and their preliminary reports say there is a need for food and non-food essential supplies, especially water containers. The mission was also able to gain access outside the Khor Omer camp in Ed Daein, the capital of East Darfur, for the first time.

“While the South Sudanese have access to local health facilities, they lack resources to pay for the services and some health facilities need support” the report said.