8000 Sudanese refugees remain out of Chad camps

April 19 2008 (GENEVA) — About 8,000 Sudanese remain scattered in a handful of villages along the volatile border with Chad, more than two months after a major round of fighting erupted in West Darfur, the UNHCR said Friday.

United Nations refugee agency said it has been able to transfer some 5,400 people to two camps it runs in eastern Chad, despite the logistical challenges posed by the continuing insecurity and the remoteness of the region.

Most of the transferred refugees – nine out of 10 are women and children – were taken to Kounoungou camp, which was recently expanded but has now reached its capacity of 18,900 residents.

This week about 170 refugees were transferred to the camp at Mile, which is 20 kilometres south of Kounoungou. In total, there are 12 UNHCR-run camps in eastern Chad serving as home to roughly 250,000 people.

Redmond noted that most of the refugees had been living in the open since fighting flared in several towns and villages in the northern part of West Darfur state on 9 February.

When the Darfurians arrive at the camps, they are given medical examinations and any children are vaccinated. Families also receive tents and household kits for use as temporary shelter until the refugees can build sturdier mud-brick huts.

Nearly 2.5 million people have been displaced because of the conflict between Government forces, allied militiamen and rebels in Darfur that has raged since 2003, and more than 200,000 others have been killed.

(ST)