Civilians disembark from a UNHCR bus at the border with Sudan. | PHOTO: UNHCR/Facebook

The government says it has registered nearly 70,000 returnees and refugees who fled the conflict in neighboring Sudan.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Albino Akol Atak said the figure was recorded from April 17th.

Akol said the data has risen by 10,000 people from the number recorded last week – which was at around 50,000.

“From now we can say the total figure of these people who have actually come because of the conflict in Sudan since 17th April up to now is estimated to be near seventy thousand both refugees and returnees,” Akol said on Monday.

The figure is obtained from 12 entry points but the number of those who crossed through uncovered entry points has not been verified, according to the official.

“We have identified twelve entry points, but we discovered that there are those uncovered entry points because these entry points are where we are now centered and this is where we witness the crossing of these people which has not been actually registered.”

The minister further said the number of returnees and refugees keeps increasing as the Sudanese conflict nears one month.

The fighting in Sudan has so far displaced nearly a million people, with long refugee convoys headed to Egypt, Ethiopia, Chad, and South Sudan.

Aid agencies fear the influx will worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis in South Sudan where more than 2 million people are displaced and more than half of the population rely on aid.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management said it has established a camp to host refugees fleeing the Sudanese conflict.

Minister Albino Akol Atak said the new refugee camp is in Wed-Wil near Aweil town in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State.