The United Nations refugee agency today condemned attacks on civilians in the Central African Republic (CAR), where clashes between rival groups have forced thousands of people to flee their homes and disrupted vital humanitarian aid operations.
“The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) strongly condemns attacks against civilians which severely hamper the provision of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to populations in need,” said the agency’s representative for the country, Kouassi Lazare Etien in a news release.
Fighting in the past month between ex-Séléka militiamen and anti-Balaka fighters has affected western, eastern and central parts of the country and the capital, Bangui, according to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission (MINUSCA).
The Mission said at least 11 people were killed and 22 wounded in clashes that followed the murder of an army officer on October 4, with 14 people reported to be still missing.
MINUSCA also said 150 people had fled their homes and 35 families had taken refuge in in the capital, Bangui. In a further incident of violence in the northwest on Tuesday, MINUSCA reported that 30 persons sought refuge in Cambatt camp at the south entrance of Koui town, while another 130 sought refuge in Gabbatt camp to the north.
“Armed group activities engender insecurity and provoke population movements. Displaced people are perpetually in urgent need of food, basic household items, medicine and access to education,” Mr. Etien said.
The UN refugee agency said it was particularly alarmed by growing insecurity in the eastern prefecture of Haut-Mboumou, home to 2,748 Congolese refugees in Zemio, another 1,057 Congolese who have settled in Obo as well as 4,222 South Sudanese refugees in Bambouti.
On September 19, attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army in Tabane 1 village, 20 kilometres from Zemio, led to the displacement of about 700 people and prompted UNHCR to decide to speed up the relocation of the South Sudanese refugees from Bambouti to Obo.