Sudanese Families Stream Across Rioriak Border
Unity State officials confirmed the arrival of 762 Sudanese citizens in Rioriak payam after days of trekking through bush and flooded plains. The group represents the largest single inflow seen in the county since clashes flared in April 2023.
Most newcomers hailed from Heglig, the oil hub straddling Sudan’s West Kordofan border. They say battles between the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces rolled through villages, forcing families to flee at dawn with only documents and infants.
Heglig’s Pipelines: Why the Town Matters
Heglig processes up to 100,000 barrels daily for Sudan and South Sudan, anchoring budgets through export fees. Its capture therefore reverberates far beyond the frontline, raising concerns over supply stability and foreign earnings in both Khartoum and Juba.
Analysts note that the pipeline moving crude from Unity fields to Port Sudan snakes through the contested town. Any prolonged disruption could squeeze revenues that fund health, education and salaries across the region.
Unity State’s First Response Measures
Relief and Rehabilitation Commission chair Moses Ruai Lat convened emergency talks with UN agencies and aid partners hours after the crossing. “This is the first major influx since fighting intensified,” he said, stressing the urgency of shelter, water and food.
Local authorities allocated land for a new settlement near the Bentiu road, hoping to decongest existing sites. Engineers from humanitarian groups surveyed ground levels to minimize flooding, a recurring threat during the rainy season.
Funding Shortfalls Hamper Aid Delivery
Ruai warned that international NGOs have seen budgets squeezed after reductions in U.S. humanitarian appropriations. “Our capacity is already stretched,” he noted, appealing for additional donors to provide plastic sheets, mosquito nets and therapeutic food.
UNHCR officials say emergency stock in Bentiu warehouses can cover barely two weeks if arrivals continue at current rates. Negotiations are underway to airlift supplies from Juba before seasonal roads become impassable.
Regional Outlook and Diplomatic Efforts
Officials in Juba reiterate that South Sudan remains neutral, urging the warring Sudanese parties to resume talks in order to safeguard shared oil infrastructure. Foreign Minister Deng Dau said stability in Heglig is “in everyone’s economic interest.”
For the families now camping in Rioriak, the diplomatic timetable feels distant. Mothers queue at hand-pumps while children watch the road for arriving trucks of grain, hoping the next convoy brings both relief and the promise of a safe return.