Rebel related military violence has caused the displacement of least 284 Afro-Colombians in the southwestern state of Nariño.
At least 284 Afro-Colombian citizens were displaced on Monday in the rural area of San Pedro del Vino, Rio Patia as a result of military operations against Colombia’s largest rebel group the FARC, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Wednesday.
FACT SHEET: Colombia displacement statistics
Fears that recent military action against FARC rebels could be followed by fresh fighting and other attacks against the community provoked the mass displacement earlier this week.
Numbers are still likely to rise according to the OCHA’s press release.
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The Afro-Colombian population that fled the area in the municipality of Francisco Pizarro are currently being sheltered in four locations: the Office for Culture, the parish house, an educational institution and a family home.
The municipality’s limited capacity to deal with the mass displacement has triggered a call for help to state institutions. Local authorities have stressed the need to provide supplies and evaluate the humanitarian requirements of the community.
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Sources
- Flash Update No. 1 – Desplazamiento masivo en Francisco Pizarro (Nariño) (Sala Humanitaria – OCHA)
