Over 300 South Sudanese refugees enter Uganda

By Our Reporter

10^th March 2022

At least 381 refugees fleeing from fresh armed conflicts from Koch County, Bentiu, in Unity State of the Republic of South Sudan have arrived in Arua city.

The refugees who arrived in Arua on Wednesday morning aboard public transport mainly comprised women and children.

They were received at the OPM Offices in Arua City waiting for their resettlement in the Refugee Camps in Terego district.

According to the refugees, a new conflict has erupted in their area between the Kitgan comprising mostly the Dinka ethnic group that defected recently from the opposition SPLM-IO and joined the government forces against the mainly Nuer SPLM-IO forcing civilians to flee their homes.

Jiwuh Gaijuol Golong, one of the refugees who lost his mother in the conflict says the horrifying ordeal of how the rebels raped women, young girls, and abducted men to join their ranks, destroyed education and health facilities have all forced them to leave and their families to safety in Uganda.

Solomon Osakan, the Refugee Desk Officer for the West Nile region revealed that they are now facing challenges of space, water and other supplies. She also says that they have limited classes for the refugee children and accommodation for the new arrivals.

Since the beginning of this year, the Office of the Prime Minister in Arua city has received over 1000 refugees from DR Congo and South Sudan fleeing ongoing conflicts in those countries.