Thousands of Colombians Flee Militia Turf Wars
At least 1,000 families have fled their homes after fighting between militias broke out in northeast Colombia.
The 2016 demobilization of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has left parts of the country embroiled in turf wars between various rebel groups and criminal gangs.
The United Nations’ humanitarian agency, OCHA, said some 2,500 people have been displaced by battles in the Catatumbo region since last month. Schools and shops have been shuttered amid the violence, and aid groups warned of a humanitarian emergency.
Rohingya Refugees Arrested in India
A group of 18 Rohingya refugees who crossed from Bangladesh into India were arrested by authorities.
At least 700,000 Rohingya fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar following a military clampdown last summer. The group of 11 men, four women and three children were about to board a train to the capital, New Delhi, when they were stopped by police.
Some 40,000 Rohingya are already sheltering in India, more than half of them unregistered, and Indian authorities have vowed to deport those without the relevant documents.
Refugees Trapped in Syria’s Yarmouk as Regime Threatens Offensive
The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said around 12,000 civilians are trapped in a Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus as Syrian troops prepare for an assault on the area.
Amid a regime push to recapture opposition strongholds, authorities on Thursday gave Islamic militants 48 hours to withdraw from Yarmouk camp, threatening a military operation to oust them if they refuse.
The camp was home to thousands of Syrians and Palestinians before the war broke out and it was captured by opposition groups and came under siege. But some were unable to flee, and about 6,000 Palestinian refugees and 6,000 Syrians remain there.
“The humanitarian situation in Yarmouk and surrounding areas has long been very harsh and is rapidly deteriorating,” UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said. “Supplies of food and medicine are running low. There is no running water and very little electricity. Healthcare options are limited and there are no doctors remaining in the area.”
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