The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded last week the largest number of refugees crossing into Sudan since the start of the conflict in South Sudan since mid December.

Renewed fighting in central Upper Nile State beginning in mid February displaced more people northward toward Melut and Renk, while widespread rumours in the latter town also sent people running across the border, though neither area yet came under attack.

“There has been a big increase in the number of people crossing the borders from South Sudan to Sudan, in the last seven days,” IOM stated in situation report dated 1 March, saying the number of people increased by approximately four times compared with the number of people during the previous week.

During the period 23 February to 1 March, 2,944 people were recorded crossing the border, compared to 677 people the previous week, 16-22 February.

Many South Sudanese who arrive in White Nile State then head northward by bus to Khartoum. “The IOM tracking hub in Jabal Awlia reported that in the last week, 1,687 South Sudanese (compared to 505 during the previous week) left White Nile State and headed for Khartoum,” stated the organization.

IOM noted a discrepancy between its figures of actually ‘tracked’ migrants, which is 11,240, and the overall estimate compiled and reported by UNHCR, which is about 35,000 people, and includes the IOM tally.

Photo: A refugee waiting to cross from Renk County into Sudan’s White Nile State at the Joda border gate, 16 January 2014 (Reuters/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)