The United Nations Refugee Agency in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has started moving South Sudanese refugees near the border to a new site in Aru area.

A large number of South Sudanese fled to neighbouring Congo after forces allied to former vice president Riek Machar clashed with Kiir’s troops in Juba.

"The UNHCR estimates that by early 2017, 40,000 refugees could move to the sites which are further away from the border," said UNHCR spokesman Andreas Kirchhof.

"The refugees are civilians who fled the conflict in South Sudan, the majority of the refugees are women and children,” he added.

Apart from the refugees fleeing to the DRC, about 750 combatants loyal to rebel leader Riek Machar also fled. Kirchhof pointed out that the South Sudanese combatants were not part of the refugees being relocated.

Separately, several South Sudanese refugees in Rhino refugee camp in Uganda have complained about shortages of shortages of food and other basic services.

Gordon Koang, a South Sudanese refugee at the camp told Radio Tamazuj that the number of refugees is increasing amid acute shortages of food and basic services in the area.

Koang called upon humanitarian organizations to provide enough food them.