More than 52,000 South Sudanese have left Abyei for Sudan since the beginning of this year, mainly due to food insecurity, the International Office for Migration.

It says they are mainly entering East Darfur State.

The agency says a recent peace agreement between the Miseriya and the Dinka communities has also contributed to the free cross-border movement.

In a statement, the IOM says it started recording the increasing numbers in April, with some 30, 000 households having left to Sudan so far.

“The majority of the population is from the Dinka Ngok community from Abyei and Twic with a small number from Warrap and Mayom County in Unity State,” read the statement.

“The majority of the population is going to Khartoum, reportedly to visit family, seek medical care, or better educational opportunities for their children.”

The IOM says it has set up a monitoring system in Noong Mar¬ket in Abyei, where the South Sudanese migrants are departing from. The center is for tracking and recording their daily movements to and from Sudan.

It says the agreement between the two communities has improved relations between the two communities across the border and allowed trade to resume.