The United Nations humanitarian agency says that about three million South Sudanese have fled their homes and are either internally displaced or have sought refuge in neighbouring countries since December 2013 due to the insecurity situation in the country.
According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the number includes an estimated 1.87 million internally displaced people.
“Large spikes in internal displacement have been reported in the Greater Equatorial region, where fighting has driven tens of thousands of people from their homes since July,” OCHA said in its latest report released in Juba.
A top UN official last week warned that South Sudan risks sliding into genocide if an intervention is not carried out soon.
The UN has also proposed that the UN Security Council imposes an arms embargo against the world’s youngest nation.
President Salva Kiir says he remains committed to the peace process, and has asked rival Riek Machar to denounce violence in order to be given an amnesty.
