Tens of thousands of people fleeing attacks in Duk and Twic counties have arrived in Bor, according to the Jonglei State Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC).

In an interview with Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Jonglei State RRC Director Gabriel Deng Ajak explained that the number of displaced from this area has swelled massively.

“These citizens ran from Duk and Twic East counties, they came to Bor town, and now some of them crossed the river to Awerial County of Lakes State, while some of them stayed in Bor and decided to stay there until the security situation improves in the areas of Duk and Twic, after which they will return,” said Ajak.

Asked the number of people who had fled from Duk and Twic counties to Bor, he said, “Approximately 45,000 arrived; we are doing registration and once it is finished we’ll calculate exactly how many people.”

The surge in new arrivals was confirmed also by a recent UN report. The report did not mention the total number of displaced in Bor itself, but estimated the rate of arrivals from Duk and Twic at 1,000 daily.

The report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Monday stated, “People continued to leave Jonglei State for Minkaman and surrounding areas in Awerial County in Lakes State due to ongoing tension in Duk and Twic East counties. Partners reported around 1,000 new arrivals per day.”

According to the Jonglei relief agency, RRC, various aid organizations are coordinating with the government and United Nations to help the people in Bor, but nothing much has been done so far.

He explained that the refugees “want food and humanitarian things to support them during the period that they stay in Bor.”

“From the side of the government, it still hasn’t done anything, it is waiting for the Crisis Management Committee working in Juba to send us anything that could be given to those people staying there,” he said.

Duk County, a rural area 200 kilometers (120 miles) north of Bor, borders on northern parts of Jonglei that remain strongholds of the SPLM/A opposition faction led by Riek Machar.

Last Thursday, Duk County Commissioner Elijah Mocnom said that these forces overran several payams of the county including Payuel, Patuonoi, Ager, Padiet and Mareng payams.

He put the total number of displaced from the county at 60,000, some of whom are staying in Twic County, not Bor.

Photo: A scene of Duk Padiet, Jonglei, after an attack in January 2012 (Marilena Chatziantoniou/ECHO)