By Philip Buda Ladu
Sudanese Military Junta government under Gen. Abdel Fattah al Burkan plans to relocate South Sudanese, Ethiopian, and Eritrean refugees currently residing in Khartoum State.
According to statements made during a Ministry of Culture and Information briefing on Monday, the refugees will be relocated to camps in other regions.
Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported that the Minister of Interior, Khalil Pasha Sayreen said the relocation is being coordinated with the country’s Refugee Commission to move South Sudanese refugees to a camp outside of Khartoum.
Sayreen further stated that Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees would be transported to camps in Kassala and Al-Gadarif states, located in eastern Sudan.
The reasons behind this planned relocation were not immediately specified in the SUNA report. This announcement comes at a time of heightened tensions between Sudan and South Sudan.
Late last month, the South Sudanese government strongly condemned remarks made by General Yasir Al-Atta, the Assistant Deputy Commander in Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, labeling them as “threats of military aggression.”
General Al-Atta’s statement on March 23, 2025, declared the Sudanese government’s readiness to deal with perceived “traitors” within South Sudan, a remark that Juba viewed as a severe threat to its national security and a violation of international principles.
Adding to the friction, the Sudanese armed forces have earlier alleged that some South Sudanese individuals are fighting alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), their rivals in the ongoing conflict within Sudan. This claim has not been independently verified by this outlet.
Meanwhile, the South Sudanese government, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, issued a statement on Tuesday expressing its “deep concern” and close monitoring of the situation of its citizens in Sudan.
“The Ministry is actively monitoring the safety and well-being of our citizens in Sudan and remains in close contact with the Sudanese authorities to ensure their protection during this period”, stated Amb. Apuk Ayuel Mayen, the ministry spokesperson.
The Ministry urged South Sudanese nationals in Sudan to remain calm and maintain contact with their embassy in Port Sudan.
The statement highlighted the significant impact of the two-year conflict in Sudan on South Sudan, which had witnessed over 1.1 million returnees and refugees crossing the border, placing immense strain on the country’s already limited resources and fragile infrastructure.
South Sudan, despite its own challenges, continues to host thousands of refugees from Sudan.
The Sudan conflict, which began on April 15, 2023, has displaced nearly 13 million people, with over one million seeking refuge in South Sudan, many of whom are returnees.
Hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese who fled the 2013 and 2016 civil war were taking refuge in Sudan in addition to those who didn’t return to the South after independence, and most lived in Sudanese cities, including the capital city, Khartoum, like citizens.
According to the UN, the conflict in Sudan has killed estimated tens of thousands, displaced millions and left nearly half of the country’s population in extreme hunger, consequently triggering the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The planned relocation of refugees from Khartoum State will likely add further complexity to the humanitarian situation in the region as the fighting rages in Sudan.
In a separate part of the Monday briefing with SUNA, Sudan’s Acting Director General of the Police Forces, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ibrahim Awadallah, addressed the issue of police officers allegedly collaborating with the RSF militia.
He stated that these individuals have been monitored and will face punishment, emphasizing the existence of a committee dedicated to this task and the ongoing nature of the monitoring as long as the war continues.
He also affirmed that anyone harming Sudanese citizens would be held accountable.
The unfolding situation underscores the complex and volatile dynamics at play in the region, with the ongoing conflict in Sudan having significant repercussions on neighboring countries, particularly South Sudan, which continues to grapple with the influx of displaced populations and strained resources.