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New violence in CAR drives thousands of people out their country: UNHCR

Xinhua, July 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

The UN refugee agency UNHCR on Friday said that thousands of people from Central African Republic (CAR) have crossed the border into Chad and Cameroon to escape renewed tension and fighting since mid-June.

UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming told a press briefing here that "we fear that more will come."

Fleming said UNHCR staff in southern Chad have helped the government's national refugee commission register more than 5,643 CAR refugees in villages near the border, and a further 555 refugees have crossed to another locations.

According to the UNHCR, the exodus began on June 12 when clashes erupted between livestock herders and local arable farmers, which have become a seasonal occurrence as herders move their animals across the land.

"Refugees arriving in the two neighboring countries, which already host tens of thousands of refugees from CAR, said they had seen killings, kidnappings, looting and the torching of their homes," Melissa said.

"The latest violence comes barely six months after the election of President Faustin Archange Touadera ushered in hopes of lasting peace after three years of escalated conflict that left thousands dead and almost 1 million displaced," she added. Enditem