Over 500 Returnees arrive Aweil East via Heglig

AWEIL – More than 500 returnees have arrived in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, in recent days after travelling through the Heglig corridor, local authorities said, warning that humanitarian conditions for the new arrivals are increasingly dire.

Paul Kuc Akot, the Information Director in the Aweil East County Commissioner’s Office, said the county has been receiving a steady flow of returnees since the beginning of the month, with over 500 people reported to have arrived over the weekend alone.

According to Kuc, at least 50 households were initially hosted in neighbouring Gogrial West County before being transferred to Aweil East, where many are now camping in the open at Majak-Ajuong near Wanyjok Town.

“We went to Gogrial West on Saturday, where our commissioner met his counterpart, Victor, who had been hosting the returnees for a few days as they made their way to Aweil,” Kuc said. “They are now in our county, and we are lobbying for support.”

He said the situation is becoming increasingly difficult to manage as most of the returnees arrive spontaneously, making it hard for local authorities to plan and respond effectively.

“The numbers are overstretching our capacity. Many people are coming without prior arrangement, and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission is still working to establish the exact figures,” Kuc said, appealing for urgent assistance from humanitarian actors and the wider community.

The Aweil East County Chairperson of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), Akot Dut Athiang, described the conditions of the returnees as “catastrophic and dire,” noting that the total number of individuals could be as high as 1,500.

“Yes, the number is around 1,500 individuals. They came from different parts of Sudan through Heglig, and those who arrived this weekend alone include about 65 households,” Athiang said, adding that most of the returnees originate from Northern Bahr el Ghazal.

He explained that returnees are currently scattered across several locations, including Majok-Yithiou Municipality, Warguet, and Malualbaai Payam, as they await reintegration support.

“Most of them are camping under trees and in open spaces. The majority are women, children, and the elderly, and they are suffering due to lack of food, shelter, and medicines,” Athiang said.

He called on humanitarian organisations to intervene urgently to address the growing needs and help the returnees stabilise and resume normal life.

Local officials said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited the returnees at Majak-Ajuong on Monday and continued assessments in other parts of the county to verify numbers and needs.

“ICRC and other partners are working with us on verification, and we are appealing for their support,” Kuc said. “We also call on government officials, church-based organisations, and good Samaritans to contribute whatever they can.”

As South Sudan continues to grapple with economic challenges and political tensions, authorities say spontaneous returns from Sudan are increasing. Many returnees, they noted, are unsure of their original places of settlement, complicating identification and assistance efforts.

With resources already overstretched, officials are urging host communities and humanitarian partners to step in quickly to avert a deepening humanitarian crisis in Aweil East.