JUBA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Violent clashes that erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan a year ago have forced 629,546 people into South Sudan, the United Nations humanitarian agency said on Friday.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), some 43,933 people arrived in South Sudan in March alone.

The clusters have prioritized their humanitarian response to the bare minimum, reaching only those with the greatest needs, focusing on some 4.5 million people in 32 of South Sudan's 78 counties, the OCHA said in its latest humanitarian update, released in Juba, South Sudan's capital.

The UN agency said the price hikes are putting necessities out of reach for many people.

Data from the World Food Program shows food price increases ranging from 55 percent for maize flour to a staggering 84 percent for beans, highlighting the severe consequences of the worsening economic situation.

The OCHA said the affordability of essential food items is exacerbating food insecurity and raising concerns about malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable populations.

A power struggle between the SAF and the RSF erupted into large-scale conflict in mid-April 2023, and has been driving humanitarian needs in the country ever since. Now, a year after the fighting broke out, the conflict has directly killed more than 10,000 people and injured nearly 30,000 more, according to the UN. Enditem

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