UN says Sudan fighting forces over 202,000 to cross into South Sudan since April

(Zohra Bensemra/Reuters)

JUBA, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Violent clashes that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan have forced 202,263 people to cross into South Sudan, the United Nations humanitarian agency has said.

"As of July 31, some 202,263 people were registered crossing from Sudan into South Sudan since the fighting erupted on April 15," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report released Tuesday.

Returnees continue to arrive in areas of origin or relocation in South Sudan, many of whom have experienced displacement, intercommunal conflict, hazards, exposure to diseases, high prices of essential goods, food insecurity, and a loss of livelihoods, OCHA said.

It said humanitarian needs in South Sudan continued to increase in July, driven by compounded shocks triggered by conflict, food insecurity, displacement, disease outbreaks, climate shock, and economic decline.

"Intensifying rain made physical access challenging for humanitarians to reach affected people with humanitarian assistance and move returnees to their final destinations as roads have become impassable," OCHA said. Enditem