The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Friday appealed for urgent support for about 16,000 people in Burkina Faso, after attacks by armed groups forced thousands to flee their homes in the east of the country, reported The UN News.
According to a statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), almost 16,000 Burkinabe, mostly women and children, have moved to Dori, eastern Burkina Faso, after fleeing the brutal attack since June 12.
As per reports, some 360 people crossed into the Tillaberi region of Niger, adding to the 15,500 people already there who have been forced to flee.
“The UN refugee agency is alarmed at the recent escalation of violence against civilians by armed groups in Burkina Faso that has forced thousands to flee, placing humanitarian resources under strain as insecurity continues to plague the Central Sahel,” UNHCR spokesperson Matthew Saltmarsh said.
Last weekend, at least 86 people were killed in the attack in Seytenga commune, a town 15 kilometers (27 miles) from the border with Niger. The attack is the deadliest single incident in Burkina Faso since more than 130 people were massacred in Solhan in June last year.
Burkina Faso has been battling an insurgency that has spread from neighboring Mali over the past decade. The number of internally displaced people crossed 1.9 million at the end of April.
Other countries in the Sahel region including Chad, Mali, and Niger also face a combination of violence, poverty, and the effects of climate change.
More than 2.5 million people have fled their homes in the Sahel region over the past decade, according to UN figures.
The UN refugee agency said the most urgent needs include shelter and essential items, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene services, and psychosocial support.
The UN body said UNHCR’s country budget requirements of $109.9 million for 2022 are only 20% funded. It called on the international community for greater solidarity and support for Burkina Faso.
