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Thousands of Somalias Kismayo residents flee
The UN refugee agency said on Friday it was closely following the situation around the Somali port city of Kismayo as thousands of residents fled in anticipation of new clashes. The Refugee Agency puts the figure at more than 10,000 adding that 7,500 people fled the area in the past four days amid growing tension. Human Rights Watch said earlier in August that Kenyan armed forces and other parties to the conflict in Somalia should make every effort to minimize civilian harm during military operations ahead of a major military offensive being mounted to the capturing of the strategic town from the Al-Shabaab fighters. The UN report adds that most of the internally displaced Somalis are leaving Kismayo and its surroundings on minibuses with poorer households undertaking the journey in lorries and trucks, in some cases using donkey carts. Majority of those fleeing are said to be moving towards Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, and the refugee camps in Dadaab, north-east Kenya. Posted by: badanov 2012-09-24 |
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