Thousands of South Sudanese returnees are in dire need of humanitarian aid in Ayod County in Jonglei State, weeks after their arrival from Sudan.

 Tens of thousands of returnees and refugees are seeking shelter in parts of South Sudan due to the ongoing fighting in Sudan. The fighting which started on 15th April, pits the Sudanese army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Rebecca Nyiyen Samuel Gai, a representative of the returnees, said their situation was dire.

“People started arriving in May without food or shelter,” she said. “Life is difficult. Imagine the difficult journey all the way home from a war zone only to stay in the open. We are really suffering without food or shelter.”

She added, “We are now without food. There is nothing at all. We are only thankful that we made it home safely. So we call on the government and aid agencies to put up shelters for us.”

Another returnee, Nyabiei John, also decried the dire humanitarian situation and called for the authorities and the aid agencies to intervene.

For his part, James Chuol Jiek, the Ayod County commissioner, said they received more than 3,000 returnees whose conditions are dire because of the lack of basic.

“When the war started in Sudan, we started receiving returnees. Since they arrived, we have helped settle them but nothing has been provided to them. We are engaging our partners so that they come to their aid,” he said.

Meanwhile, Stephen Kwac Biliu, the county Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) coordinator, also pleaded for aid.

“We received a large influx of returnees. In Goak Payam, there are 557 households, Pagil Payam with 502 households, Mogoag with 607, Wau with 500 households, Khorwai with 14 households, Pagoang with 89 households, Pajiek with 257 households, Chokrimi with 432 households, and Kwachdeng with 370 households and 700 more returnees in Ayod town,” he said. “These people are miserable and they need food and shelter. We also need a measles vaccination campaign to rescue the lives of the children.”