The number of South Sudanese refugees who have sought shelter in neighbouring countries has this week passed the 1,000,000 mark, including more than 185,000 who fled the country following July’s violence in the capital Juba, the UN refugee agency has revealed.
South Sudan now joins Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia in the list of countries that have produced more than 1,000,000 refugees.
The UNCHR says that most of the recent South Sudanese refugee arrivals (143,164) have crossed into Uganda, though another group entered western Ethiopia’s Gambella region as even more head to Kenya.
South Sudan was seen to be recovering from the two-year conflict after the signing of a peace deal last year, followed by the return of Riek Machar to the capital Juba to form a transitional unity government with President Salva Kiir.
The July violence however crushed all the developments in the country as Machar fled Juba with his troops and was replaced by Taban Deng Gai as first vice president.
Uganda hosts the largest number of South Sudan refugees, accounting for an estimated 373,626 of them.
Ethiopia is the hosts the second largest number (292,000) as Sudan hosts the third largest number (247,317).
