The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has revised upward by more than 110,000 its estimate on the total number of people displaced by conflict in South Sudan.
In weekly updates released since the conflict began in South Sudan in mid December, OCHA has provided estimates on the number of people uprooted, tallying both the number of ‘refugees’ and the number of ‘internally displaced persons’ (IDPs).
OCHA estimated as of 17 January that there were 574,500 people in total displaced, and as of 24 January that there were 687,700 displaced, a difference of 111,000 in a span of one week.
The new figure comprises 575,500 IDPs and 112,200 refugees. In a footnote, the UN agency states, “The total number of people displaced is likely higher, as aid agencies have very limited information about displacement outside main population centres.”
Most of the difference over the last week is accounted for by revised estimates for displacement within Upper Nile State, including large populations across the Nile from Malakal and to the north of it at Paloich.
The agency also stated that there are 73 locations at which IDPs have settled and require help, and the relief effort thus far has reached people at only 45% of those sites.
Remarking on the insecurity in the country over the last week, OCHA added, “humanitarian access continues to be severely constrained by active hostilities, attacks on aid workers and assets, interference into relief activities and large-scale looting of supplies.”
Related coverage: More than 5% of South Sudan population displaced (19 Jan.)