Number of refugees in Sierra Leone tops 20,000

The number of Liberian refugees who have fled to neighbouring Sierra Leone has now topped the 20,000 mark, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Tuesday. UNHCR spokesman Chris Janowski said at the agency's briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, that last week alone, an estimated 3,400 Liberians fled to Sierra Leone. UNHCR transferred 2,400 of them from the border, to camps further inland, he said. Thousands of others had also fled into neighbouring Guinea's Forest Region, bringing to 13,000 the number of Liberians who had fled to Guinea so far this year, Janowski said. Last week, the agency rushed aid supplies from Guinea's capital, Conakry, to the border town of Nzerekore to accommodate the new arrivals, he added. In Sierra Leone, the number of formally registered new arrivals last week declined slightly compared to previous weeks, he noted. However, there were reports that refugees were increasingly entering Sierra Leone through unofficial crossing points along the Mano River. The Sierra Leone army reported that makeshift camps were being erected by refugees along the river. While fewer refugees were arriving from Liberia's capital, Monrovia, the number of those fleeing from the northern Lofa and western Grand Cape Mount counties had increased. "We are also registering an increase in the number of local chiefs and government officials who have fled Liberia," Janowski said. In Liberia, meanwhile, UNHCR is continuing the registration of Sierra Leonean refugees wishing to return home. With somewhat improved security conditions on the Monrovia - Sierra Leone highway, "we are looking at a resumption of overland convoys", he said. "Sierra Leone refugees accommodated at the Sinje camp, 80 km north-west of Monrovia, are keen to return home. Some have endured harassment by armed groups who entered the camp," he added.