Some 4,000 Sierra Leonean refugees moved out of troubled Guinea region: UN
More than 4,000 refugees have been evacuated from Guinea's remote Parrot's Beak region since last week's start of a massive operation aimed at transferring them from insecure border areas to camps in the interior, a spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported today.
Describing the massive relocation effort, UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski told reporters in Geneva that the refugees were being transferred first to the Katkama transit camp for two or three days before being taken to one of the new sites which the agency has set up further inland in Guinea.
"The construction of transit facilities in Katkama camp has now been completed," Mr. Janowski said. He noted that the camp had facilities for medical screening and a canteen to provide the refugees with hot meals upon arrival.
Meanwhile, the relocation of refugees from Massakoundou camp near UNHCR's operational base in Kissidougou is continuing, according to Mr. Janowski. "The authorities have repeatedly asked that the camp be closed for security reasons, because they fear the infiltration of rebels," he said. On Monday, a convoy carrying close to 500 people from Massakoundou went to Sembakounya, further inland. UNHCR estimates that 2,000-3,000 people remain in Massakoundou.
Between relocations from the Parrot's Beak region, Massakoundou and other areas, UNHCR has moved some 37,370 refugees to safer areas further inland. "The capacity of the new sites is being regularly increased to keep up with the pace of the relocation exercise," Mr. Janowski said.