Al-Daein, October 19 (Darfur24)
Large numbers of South Sudanese refugees have arrived at camps in East Darfur in recent weeks, fleeing drought and declining rainfall, as well as fighting in Kordofan and Darfur, camp leaders told Darfur24 on Monday.
Ibrahim Weil, chief of Krio camp, told Darfur24 that the new arrivals had been displaced from camps in Al-Ait, Wad Qanja and Al-Andarab in North Darfur, as well as from camps in West and North Kordofan.
He said some refugees fled drought and lack of rainfall in North Darfur, while others left Kordofan because of both fighting and drought. Many had headed to East Darfur, where rainfall and security conditions were relatively better, he added.
Weil said the new arrivals had reached the camps of Krio, Abu Karnka and Bakhit, placing additional pressure on already strained basic services, particularly water and food.
He called on humanitarian organizations to intervene urgently, saying the new arrivals faced limited livelihood opportunities and a lack of daily-wage work amid a weak agricultural season in the state.
East Darfur hosts eight main camps for South Sudanese refugees: Krio, Abu Karnka, Bakhit, Al-Nimr, Al-Firdous, Asalaya, Sha’iriya and Khor Umm Sa’una. The camps host an estimated 120,000 or more South Sudanese refugees who fled civil war in their country.
The camps already face severe shortages of essential services, including water, healthcare, education and food, amid reduced humanitarian operations and disrupted supply chains since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023.
Most refugees rely on seasonal agricultural work and herding for their livelihoods. However, poor rainfall and the failure of this year’s agricultural season have reduced employment opportunities, further worsening food insecurity and living conditions in the camps.