It is estimated that “over four thousand” South Sudanese are currently stranded in Sudan’s Eastern Darfur state, neighbouring South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el-Ghazal and they have called on the Republic of South Sudan to repatriate them immediately.

One of those displaced in al-Daein, speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Monday, urged the Republic of South Sudan to bring them back home as soon as possible.

“If we are repatriated from here our life would be better”.

He expressed concern over their wellbeing if they do not escape their current situation.  Some of those in Khor Omer camp complained of severe shortages in food and shelter following poor harvests in 2012.

Meanwhile, an anonymous source pointed to an incident in which two men were killed on Sunday in Makarenga and two others were taken, their whereabouts unknown at the time of press.

The source claimed that the government and local populations sometimes harass or provoke the displaced South Sudanese and that they are economically dependent upon the production and sale of bricks.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is facilitating the return of many South Sudanese from Khartoum and through Kosti.  However, it is unclear whether either intends to provide support to returnees currently displaced in Eastern Darfur.