A top United Nations official labelled the conditions of South Sudanese refugees in Sudan as “tragic” after visiting a camp in White Nile state.
The United Nations envoy for humanitarian affairs Abdulla Al Matouq Nations visited Joda camp, home to some of the 100,000 South Sudanese refugees living in Sudan. Many of them fled the south’s ongoing civil war.
In a press conference in Khartoum Wednesday following the visit, Al Matouq described the conditions of the refugees and said what he saw was “unbelievable.”
UN high commissioner for refugees Antonio Gutterres who accompanied Al Matouq called on the international community to support the refugees urgently.
Several refugees living in Algaya near Joda checkpoint told Radio Tamazuj that they were experiencing dire humanitarian conditions and that many children have died from disease amid poor healthcare.
The refugees called on the international community to intervene urgently with food and basic services.
File photo: South Sudanese refugees wait at a border gate in Joda, White Nile State, 16 January 2014 (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)