UNHCR: South Sudan crisis drives more refugees to neighboring countries

More South Sudanese civilians are swarming into neighboring countries to avoid the escalating internal violence and insecurity, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Tuesday. UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told a press conference that as many as 78,000 civilians in the country have fled to neighboring countries since mid-December. "More than half have headed for Uganda's West Nile region straddling South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo," he said. At present, 32,505 refugees sheltered at the Dzaipi transit center in northern Uganda, where bordered with South Sudan. As more people continue to arrive at Dazaipi, the currently largest South Sudan refugee group lacks of shelters, clean water, food, and basic household goods. In neighboring countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya, the refugee numbers has been increased dramatically. A total of 18,616 and 6,778 civilians crossed into the two countries respectively. UNHCR concerned the further violence and deteriorating situation could fuel more displacement both within and beyond the borders of South Sudan. Statistics showed that the internal displacement figures jumped to 355,000 from 200,000 last week