The UN said in a statement that some 16,000 people are reported to have fled from Kurmuk, in Blue Nile State, across the border into Ethiopia since the fighting began in that SPLM-North stronghold early on Thursday.
UNHCR, the United Nations agency for Refugees, is currently assessing the needs of those who crossed the border.The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Sudan Georg Charpentier called on both the Government and the SPLM-North to end the fighting immediately and to seek to resolve any disputes through peaceful means.
Mr. Charpentier said both sides have a responsibility to ensure the protection of humanitarian staff and to prevent any looting and destruction of offices and warehouses where vital aid is stored.