Returnees meeting Governor Tong Aken in Renk town. | Photo: Office of the Governor - NBGs/ Facebook

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management said Thursday nearly 130,000 returnees and refugees have entered South Sudan from Sudan, as he called for patience among returnees still stuck along the South Sudan-Sudan border.

Albino Akol Atak said the influx of returnees and refugees is increasing on a daily basis.

He said more than 127, 000 people have so far crossed into South Sudan since violence erupted in Khartoum on April 15 – with 10% of them being refugees from Sudan and the neighboring countries.

“It’s true that the influx of the people who have come from Sudan is now getting to increase and increasing and then the humanitarian situation cost is dire,” he said in an exclusive interview with Eye Radio.

“The number that arrived up to yesterday as our registration shows is 127,710 individuals who have crossed so far, this is according to our registration in the 12 entry points.”

“These 12 entry points start from Maban in the east up to Raja in the west, and the largest number of people is crossing through the entry point of Jouda which leads to Renk and Paluch.”

Minister Akol said the government is currently facilitating the transportation of the returnees from Renk and other entry points to their respective states.

He also said the Ministry and its partners including UN agencies are providing food and non-food assistance to both the returnees and returnees.

However, he called upon those still stranded to be patient as the government and partners are working to take them to their final destinations.

“The government of South Sudan is committed to helping you to reach your final destination, what is needed is small patience because you are coming in big number and there’s small challenges in the resources.”

“So, we are calling upon them to exercise small patience so that we take them to their final destination. For refugees, of course, the UNCHR is taking charge of this and they have been served.”

Explosions rocked Khartoum on Thursday, more than two months after fighting broke out between rival Sudanese generals, with each side accusing the other of attacks on civilians.

More than 2,000 people have died in the conflict between the forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.