Over 50,000 people flee Boko Haram attacks in Niger - UNHCR

Following the recent attack on security forces by Boko Haram militants in Bosso, southeast of Niger, an estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the troubled area.

This is according to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR ) which added that most of the people are traumatized and worried about their safety.

The 3 day attack which started on Friday, killed at least 30 soilders from Niger and 2 others from Nigeria.

“The welfare of these people and others forced to flee the violence in Bosso is of great concern,” Adrian Edwards, UNHCR spokesperson told a press briefing in Geneva.

50,000 have fled Boko Haram attacks in Niger in recent days. “People are sleeping in the open & urgently need shelter,” says UNHCR

— Geoffrey York (@geoffreyyork) June 7, 2016

The agency said that the displaced people are walking towards Toumour which is 30 km west of Bosso while others are heading towards Diffa, located about 140 km west of Bosso and northwards to Kabelawa to a camp for internally displaced, which has a capacity of about 10,000 people.

The situation is dire since the agency had issued a warning in May over the deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions in Diffa region.

The agency is urging for additional donor support in the poor region where rising insecurity has destroyed the socio-economic fabric.

Friday’s assault was among the deadliest by the Islamist group in Niger since it began launching attacks in the country in April 2015.

UNHCR says that at least 240,000 people have been displaced by the raids since then.

Agencies