MALI: Malians lack shelter, clothing and food as they flee conflict in the country

Record ID: 862475

  • Title: MALI: Malians lack shelter, clothing and food as they flee conflict in the country
  • Date: 18th January 2013
  • Summary: DONKEY CART CROSSING BRIDGE
  • Embargoed: 2nd February 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mali
  • City:
  • Country: Mali
  • Topics: Crime,Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVAA3L3QLSVJLJKFXJP2HV398K0T
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Displaced Malians fleeing the fighting in Mali's central town of Diabaly have marched southward towards Markala and Segou but on Friday (January 18) the town's mayor told Reuters that French and Malian soldiers had wrested control of the town from Islamist fighters.
    This followed a French airstrike mayor Oumar Diakite said.

    "The forces are in the town carrying out mopping up operations. There are lots of burned-out vehicles that the Islamists tried to hide in the orchards," Diabaly mayor Oumar Diakite said by telephone.
    Diabaly was seized by Islamists earlier this week and has since marked the frontline in a push by French and Malian forces to retake the north of the landlocked West African country from al Qaeda-linked rebels.
    Up to 700,000 people are expected to be uprooted by the violence in Mali, including 400,000 who could flee to neighbouring countries in the coming months, the United Nations refugee agency said on Friday.
    A displaced man from Diabaly described the conditions people are facing.

    "People are terrorised. Often they are in horrible condition, without having brought anything with them. They search for shelter. Everyone's searching for shelter where we can," said Amadou Bokam.
    French, Malian and African forces are confronting an Islamist rebel alliance that includes al Qaeda's North African wing in a military operation that began last week.
    Some 147,000 Malians have already fled to countries including Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Algeria since the crisis began last year. Some 229,000 Malians are already internally displaced within Mali.
    ENDS
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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