Tuesday, February 19, 2008

UN refugee agency quits Chad/Darfur border amid new bombings


GENEVA (AFP) —

The United Nations refugee agency said Tuesday it had withdrawn a team caring for refugees from the Chad/Darfur border after fresh aerial bombing in the conflict-riven Sudanese province.

"Aerial bombardment overnight and this morning in West Darfur, Sudan, close to the border with Chad, has forced UNHCR to withdraw its team caring for newly arrived refugees in the Birak area away from the insecure border," spokeswoman Jennifer Pagonis told journalists.

The team will return "immediately the situation calms down," she added.

Seven refugees from Darfur crossed the border into Chad on Monday night, carrying with them a 55-year-old woman who had lost both her legs during an alleged bombardment of the Aro Sharow camp for internally displaced people, north of Jebel Moon in West Darfur, Pagonis said.

The woman later died at Birak's health centre, and the refugees said more people would now be fleeing to Chad.

"We have no further details of the alleged bombing raid but bombing could be heard from Birak," Pagonis said.

"This highlights the extremely vulnerable situation of the refugees and the humanitarian workers helping them," she added.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said at least 10,000 people had fled Darfur following heavy bombardment and aerial attacks by the Sudanese army and its Janjaweed militia allies on February 8. Read more >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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