Over one million displaced by ongoing South Sudan conflict: UN

Over one million people have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, the United Nations has said.

The UN revealed that of these, nearly 803,200 have been displaced within the country, and another 254,000 have fled to neighbouring countries.

According to the BBC, the UN report warned that the situation is likely to get worse as the violence escalates.

Fighting erupted between the forces of President Salva Kiir and troops loyal to his former deputy, Riek Machar, in December.

The two sides signed a ceasefire agreement in January, but sporadic fighting has continued.

In its report, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the conflict had caused 'a serious deterioration in the food security situation' leaving around 3.7 million people at high risk.

The UN estimates that 4.9 million are in need of humanitarian assistance.

The report however warned that 'the remote and dispersed placement sites make the humanitarian assistance difficult to reach many of South Sudan's conflict-affected people.