An unknown abrupt sickness engulfed a roughly 70 students in a Sudan’s refugee camp near Kosti. According to report, the students are believed to have been poisoned and currently under treatment.
Sudan is a host to more than 200,000 South Sudanese affected by the civil war that broke out in 2013.
According to Médicin Sán Frontier (MSF), despite the ongoing peace process in South Sudan, there has not been a significant decrease in the number of refugees in White Nile.
Today, according to UNHCR, Sudan is home to more than 861,000 South Sudanese refugees, second in number only to Uganda and White Nile state still hosts 248,000 South Sudanese refugees, with 162,000 living in camps like Al Kashafa. Across Sudan only Khartoum hosts more refugees.
In 2017, Sudanese authorities embarked on a plan that saw thousands of South Sudanese living in towns across Sudan forcibly evicted and concentrated in refugee camps in White Nile State. This was according to Sudanese refugees law. More camps border Kosti, a border town with South Sudan. The town is close to Renk.
The living conditions in such refugee camps are accompanied by poor livelihoods and the general situation is reportedly worst. The prevailing events are considered critical as there are also mistreatment from Muslim communities. Malaria, Cholera and Typhoid’s among diseases that affect their everyday life while in the camps.
A report by a Catholic Christian group about 2 years ago noted that some South Sudanese refugees (A christian boy) were forced to say Islamic words before they were served with help/food.
Today, South Sudanese refugees across camps in the horn of Africa are living under severe conditions.
Though the September 2018 peace agreement has paved a way for a little snip of peace, it is has not provided a basic ground and neither modulated on plans that would help returnees.
Humanitarian organizations across South Sudan have helped settle some returnees who worked against all odds to return home. Some of these were from camps from Uganda and those from Western Ethiopia.