Bumbuna receives more than 7,000 IDPs

More than 7,000 new internally displaced persons (IDPs), mostly children, are reported to have arrived this month in Bumbuna, northern Sierra Leone, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported. Following an assessment mission on Monday, MSF-Belgium reported that most of the IDPs in Bumbuna, which is northeast of Makeni, were in desperate need of humanitarian assistance, especially food, OCHA said in its latest situation report. Some children are suffering from malnutrition and there are some cases of diarrhoea, MSF said. Aid deliveries can be made only by air and agencies are currently trying to respond to the IDPs’ needs, OCHA said in its 25 July-7 August humanitarian situation report. The IDPs interviewed by MSF said they fled from Makeni and Magburaka to escape forced recruitment by Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels and fighting between pro-government forces and the RUF.