A barge carrying more than 400 returnees arrived at the Juba Port Tuesday with the last group of people who were caught in the battle for Heglig-Panthou in April.
The barge also brought to Juba the first group of some 200 returnees waiting in Malakal to be brought south.IOM, the International Organization for Migrations, organized the repatriation of those returnees stranded in the disputed area of Higlig-Panthou.
IOM information officer Samantha Donkin said the journey was neither easy nor quick for the returnees.
She added that the trip took 12 days and 420 returnees arrived in Juba after over 100 left the barge in Bor and Adok.
Among the passengers there were 250 returnees who were caught up in the battle for Heglig-Panthou.
Some of those returnees were airlifted last month while others chose to come with their cargo by barge.
Ms Donkin said some 1,300 returnees were caught up in the fighting but they were rescued by IOM and other organizations.
She added that this was the last group reaching home from Higlig-Panthou.
Stans Yatta, who heads the Central Equatoria Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, said for the most part things went smooth.
He said many returnees are still waiting for the barge with their luggage and may become impatient to head home.
IOM said a group of about 2,000 returnees are being loaded with their luggage onto barges in Malakal and will make the trip to Juba soon.