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Pakistan: Refugees top 1.7 million in northwest
[ADN Kronos] More than 1.7 million people are now homeless after fleeing the recent fighting between Islamist militants and the military in Pakistan's troubled northwest, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday. The UN said it has launched a 543 million dollar appeal for people displaced by fighting since the beginning of May in Lower Dir, Buner and Swat districts.About 200,000 of the people displaced by the fighting are in camps south of the main conflict zone in the Swat valley. Militants claim they are fighting to establish sharia or Islamic law in Swat, Buner and Lower Dir. The remaining 1.5 million people left homeless are staying with their families and friends or in schools and other communal buildings. The UN, which is assisting local authorities in registering the displaced, said the "extraordinary" exodus had caused "incredible suffering". It said appeal launched with Pakistani partners for 548 million dollars was to fund 165 project to help the displaced. In the camps the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is working to provide more shade above tents to help protect people from the intense heat which is reaching 45 degrees celsius. Posted by: Fred 2009-05-23 |
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