The Abyei administration on Thursday received 125 households comprising more than 625 returnees from Upper Nile State.
Abyei Mayor William Ajang Kuol Dau told Radio Tamazuj on Friday that a large number of households had arrived and would be reintegrated with relatives in the town and surrounding counties.
“We received 125 households, equivalent to 625 returnees, from Renk in Upper Nile State via Western Bahr el-Ghazal State and Wau,” Dau said. He disclosed that the returnees were flown to Wau airport and eventually arrived in Abyei on Thursday.
The mayor said these groups were the third and fourth arrivals and would be processed according to flight schedules.
The returnees were initially at one center, and reintegration is ongoing within Abyei town and the counties because all have relatives in the area, he added.
“The returnees are here with us and they are to be reintegrated within Abyei town, while the rest are to be taken to counties and towns because nobody is without family here,” Dau said. “However, they are facing challenges, though humanitarian organizations have registered them for assistance.”
The Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) and humanitarian organizations said Thursday that each household in the latest batch had about five members.
Officials said Abyei has received 1,500 households since the war in Sudan began in April 2023, pitting the country’s military leader, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against Mohammed Dagalo, leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Abyei RRC Director Santino Mou confirmed the arrivals and thanked the National Health Ministry for responding to the difficult conditions faced by the returnees.
“Yes, we have received 125 households from Renk via Wau, and there has been a low response from international organizations,” Mou said. “However, the National Ministry of Health provided medicines to children, pregnant mothers and elderly people. We are still calling on humanitarian organizations to support because the returnees lack both food and non-food items.”
Mou added that the returnees face food shortages because aid from humanitarian organizations, especially the World Food Program (WFP), was last distributed three months ago, and the number of arrivals has since reached 1,500 households.
Abyei Information Minister Yohana Akol confirmed that more than 125 households were being accommodated at the Abyei Youth Center before being reintegrated with their families in the town and counties.