24 April 2012 - Responding to the continued threat of bombardmentin northern South Sudanese border states, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is speeding up the relocation of returnees, according to a statement released today.

"IOM is concerned at the (effect of) increasing tensions between the Sudan and South Sudan on returnees who become stranded on their way home," said Samantha Donkin, IOM South Sudan Public Information Officer.

The agency is currently assisting a group of 1,300 South Sudanese who left Khartoum in late March in a convoy and became stranded in the Sudan town of Heglig, after fighting started when the South Sudanese forces occupied the area, according to the statement.

They were re-routed to the Upper Nile border town of Renk. Efforts are underway to relocate the group by road to the state capital Malakal, and by air to Aweil and Kuajok in Northern and Western Bahr El-Ghazal states.

An IOM organized convoy of buses departed Renk yesterday and arrived in Malakal this morning carrying the first 650 returnees. The group will remain in Malakal until they are cleared to fly.

IOM and humanitarian partners are establishing a transit site, located on the outskirts of the town, with capacity to accommodate up to 30,000 stranded returnees.

The rainy season has now begun and road access to Renk will be further complicated as roads further south become impassable.

"IOM and partners are building capacity, prepositioning emergency relief items ahead of the full onset of the rains, after which Renk will be difficult to access by road," Ms. Donkin said.

On 23 April 2012, an IOM organized barge movement of 1,708 returnees departed Renk for Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The convoy is made up of three passenger and four luggage barges.

Most of the returnees are travelling to the greater Bahr El-Ghazal region. Those travelling beyond Juba will be provided with transportation assistance by IOM to reach their final destination.

But the agency is facing growing challenges in responding to the refugee and stranded returnee crises in Upper Nile, according to Ms. Donkin. "Access is complicated by insecurity, fuel shortages are limiting activities and delaying the provision of assistance, and a lack of barges and boats for transporting returnees impedes IOM's ability to decongest transit sites in Renk."

IOM has worked closely with UNMISS to secure fuel for the barge traveling from Renk to Juba.

In addition to assisting returnees, IOM has been helping civilians injured in bombardments near the border. Last week, it airlifted three tons of emergency medical supplies donated by the World Health Organization to Bentiu Hospital in Unity State, where 15 civilians died and 35 were wounded in the fighting.

On the return journey to Juba, IOM airlifted the critically injured in Bentiu Hospital to Juba Teaching Hospital for additional treatment.