South Sudan: Fire exposes breaking point in overcrowded Renk Transit Centre ahead of the three-year mark of the Sudan Conflict

Country: South Sudan Source: World Vision Juba, South Sudan — 15 April 2026. Three days before the three-year mark of the Sudan conflict, a fire broke out outside Renk Transit Centre 2 on Sunday, 12 April. This exposed the mounting risks inside severely overcrowded transit sites in northern South Sudan, where thousands of refugees and returnees are living far beyond the capacity of available services. The fire destroyed several shops and shelters along the outer perimeter of Renk Transit Centre 2. According to initial reports, the blaze originated from a household allegedly involved in the illegal production of local alcohol and spread rapidly to nearby structures. The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) responded with water trucks and, together with residents, brought the fire under control. Two returnees—one male and one female—sustained injuries and were transferred to a health facility within the transit centre for treatment. Significant damage was recorded, with an estimated 150 shelters, shops, and personal belongings destroyed. In the aftermath of the incident, unverified reports indicated that some youth looted remaining items from affected households. Despite the scale of destruction, no fatalities were reported. Importantly, infrastructure at the transit centre—including facilities operated by humanitarian agencies such as World Vision—remained intact. The incident comes amid escalating humanitarian pressure in Renk, a key entry point for people fleeing the conflict in Sudan. Transit Centre 2 currently shelters around 9, 000 refugees and returnees—far exceeding its intended capacity of 2, 200-2, 695 individuals. Combined, Transit Centres 1 and 2 host between 13, 000 and 14, 000 people. “Overcrowding in the Renk Transit Centre is placing severe pressure on basic services and infrastructure and increasing protection concerns, exposing already vulnerable populations to greater risks, ” said Mesfin Loha, Country Director of World Vision in South Sudan Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, more than 1. 3 million people have crossed into South Sudan. An estimated 80-88 per cent have entered through the Joda border point in Renk, making it one of the busiest humanitarian corridors in the region. Humanitarian operations in the transit centres are increasingly constrained by declining funding, forcing humanitarian agencies to scale back or discontinue essential services. “The combination of new arrivals and shrinking resources is severely impacting both the availability and quality of assistance, ” Mesfin added. Critical interventions—particularly those supporting children, older persons, and other at-risk groups—have been reduced, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities. Despite these challenges, World Vision continues to operate a health facility within the transit centre, providing essential medical care amid funding constraints and growing needs. World Vision highlights several urgent gaps: Severe funding gaps are limiting the delivery of life-saving services across all sectors. Heightened risk of disease outbreaks, especially with the approaching rainy season and overcrowded living conditions Worsening food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among children and older people World Vision continues to call for increased support to sustain critical operations and prevent further deterioration in conditions for displaced populations in Renk. As arrivals continue and resources dwindle, the situation in the transit centres remains fragile—raising concerns that even minor incidents, such as the recent fire, could have far-reaching consequences for thousands seeking safety. Media contact: ***Diwa Aquino-Gacosta (* diwa_aquino-gacosta@wvi. org ) Advocacy and Communications Senior Manager World Vision South Sudan

Read full story on Reliefweb