By Adia Jildo
The government of South Sudan has estimated that it could be having over a million citizens stranded amid violence in Sudan.
This was revealed on Sunday by Deng Dau Deng, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation during a donation ceremony held in the capital, Juba organized by civil society organizations for South Sudanese people ffected by conflict.
“We might have a large population of over one million, we are very much aware that there are South Sudanese who own property. They are like Sudanese citizens because they did not come to South Sudan,” Deng said.
He disclosed that the government is monitoring the border with Sudan for influx of refugees fleeing fighting between two rival military factions since violence broke out on April 15th.
“We are working carefully to advice our embassy in Khartoum to give any assistance to South Sudanese in Khartoum,” he said.
Deng said availability of resources will help the government to prepare for evacuation of South Sudanese still stranded in Sudan.
“We are encouraging our people to try their best to get to where they can be safely evacuated,” he disclosed.
Deng said seven planes have so far landed in Juba to help evacuate South Sudanese in the border areas of Melut, and Renk Counties.
Foreign governments have already evacuated some of their diplomats and nationals.
The violence in Sudan broke out following disagreement between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) led by Gen.Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the leader of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Under the Framework Agreement, the RSF are supposed to be immediately integrated into the SAF, but the two generals disagreed over the proposal to integrate the RSF over a period of 10 years as requested by Dagalo.
