Tens of thousands forced to flee violent attacks in Nigeria’s Borno State
Tens of thousands forced to flee violent attacks in Nigeria’s Borno State. According to the UN, tens of thousands of people have fled a number of attacks this week by armed groups on the town of Damasak in Borno state. However, 65,000 people have left the north-eastern Nigeria town of Damasak as a result of a series of armed group attacks. According to the UNHCR, fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) raided the town in Borno state three times a week. Attacking a military outpost, burning homes, and a UN office, and killing at least 12 civilians.
According to military reports and locals, fighters assaulted the garrison on Wednesday before being driven back into town. Following the most recent attack in seven days. Up to 80% of the city’s population including local communities forced to leave Babar Baloch. UNHCR Speaker said some people have fled to Maiduguri and other nearby cities.
Jens Laerke, UN Office Speaker:
However, due to instability, humanitarian access is becoming increasingly difficult in many parts of Nigeria’s Borno State. Even for UNHCR workers, who have forced to evacuate out of Damasak in the last seven days. The same briefing said that aid operations had halted temporarily in that field since Sunday because of instability. Jens Laerke, UN Office Speaker for the Coordination of Humanity Affairs (OCHA) said. The situation is very serious and it could be difficult for us to provide help for those who urgently need it if it happens to occur for longer periods. In the context of allegations of home-to-house investigations for the relief workers and the burning of their offices. Laerke added that the humanitarian worker’s targets.
These events are the most recent violent event in the Lake Chad region. Which has destroyed 3.3 million inhabitants in recent years. According to the refugee agency, Damasak is home to one of the military’s “mega camps“. Critics and residents claim that the approach of closing smaller bases and consolidating into larger camps has enabled armed groups to travel freely in rural areas. Because of the region’s deteriorating stability, humanitarian workers are unable to provide help.
