The UN refugee agency, UNHCR on Friday reported that the insecurity in Burkina Faso, particularly in the region bordering Côte d’Ivoire pushes more people to seek safety both within and outside the country.

UNHCR Spokesperson, Boris Cheshirkov, said the plight of Burkinabe refugees was becoming increasingly precarious, as more people arrived in Côte d’Ivoire without personal belongings or food.

“They told UNHCR staff that civilians had been killed and their homes burnt down by extremists,” Mr Cheshirkov said while speaking to journalists in Geneva.

He said that while the regional crisis becomes more protracted, large parts of the Sahel remain – or have become – inaccessible to humanitarians trying to support the 2.5 million people forced to flee their homes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

As a result, more people across the Sahel are moving southwards towards coastal countries, or to North Africa, where many find themselves in what he described as “a dangerous limbo”.

“Threats to women and youth are particularly severe, including sexual and labour exploitation, gender-based violence, forced recruitment, and trafficking.

“Interventions to support women and youth are vital to alleviate suffering and prevent abuse, along with investments in a more positive future for Sahelian communities,” Mr Cheshirkov said.

Since last May, some 7,000 Burkinabe have arrived in northwestern Côte d’Ivoire, fleeing vicious attacks by armed groups. UNHCR has so far registered and provided assistance to over 4,000.

The influx has accelerated in the past six months, the agency said but is not seen as being linked to the military coup in January. Local authorities report that an average of 100 people have been crossing the border daily.

(NAN)