1. Home
  2. Southern Africa
  3. Zambia
  • News

Armed gang threatens UNHCR staff

An armed gang is terrorising UNHCR staff members working in the Maheba refugee settlement in Zambia's Western province, a UNHCR official told IRIN on Thursday. "A week ago an armed gang of about 12 attacked the UNHCR's office and killed a guard in the process," the official said, adding that in one month there have been two shooting incidents outside the offices, forcing staff members to flee the settlement to the nearby town of Solwezi. The official said the majority of refugees at the settlement are from Angola. "Although we cannot confirm the identities of the gang, it appears as if they are people with access to guns who have managed to infiltrate the settlement posing as refugees," added the official.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Share this article

Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join