People keep fleeing to Sierra Leone

The influx into Sierra Leone of people fleeing instability in Liberia has continued steadily since clashes last week between pro- and anti-government forces near the western Liberian town of Sinje. A large number of Liberian ex-combatants had also crossed into Sierra Leone, especially into the eastern district of Kailahun, and had surrendered to authorities over the last three months, officials told IRIN on Thursday. The Sierra Leone regional police commissioner, Amadu Mannah, said they had registered at least 10 Liberian ex-combatants every week over the past three months. The numbers had increased lately, he said. All those registered were from the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), he added. Since the Sinje clashes on 20 June, at least 500 displaced people had crossed the bridge over the Mano River each day from Liberia to Gendema in Sierra Leone, other officials said. Most of the displaced said they feared more clashes between the Liberian army and the rebel Liberians United for Reconciliation and Development (LURD). Lt-Col Moses Ziah of the Liberian army told IRIN on Thursday at Bo Waterside, in western Liberia, that the people crossing the bridge included both Liberian refugees and Sierra Leonean returnees who had walked on foot for over 15 km. However, he said the situation at Sinje was being contained by government troops, contrary to what displaced people reported. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, was trying to relocate the displaced to camps in the eastern area of Zimmi. Karl Steinacker, head of UNHCR's sub-office in Kenema, which is farther inland, said that should the influx continue, they would soon be "overwhelmed". Between Sunday and Thursday, UNHCR recorded 4,713 people who had crossed from Liberia into Gendema. There had been some 39,000 Sierra Leone refugees in Liberian refugee camps and another 15,000 living outside the camps, according to UNHCR. Between February and June, at least 18,000 had returned from Liberia and been relocated to their districts of origin. In Sierra Leone there were at least 22,000 Liberian refugees in camps as at 24 June.