The UN refugee agency says heavy bombardment and armed attacks in Darfur by the Sudanese army and the Janjaweed militia at the weekend have forced 12,000 refugees to flee into eastern Chad.
The refugees have fled to the Birak region, UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokeswoman Helene Caux told AFP on Sunday.
Eastern Chad remains highly volatile after recent fighting between Chadian government and rebel forces, which led the UNHCR to evacuate staff from the country and thousands of Chadians to cross to neighbouring Cameroon, she said.
However, the fresh refugees from Darfur "have been through the worst already," she added.
Her colleague Catherine Huck, who runs UNHCR's operations in the Chadian eastern town of Abeche, stressed the difficulties that recent unrest in Chad itself have created for aid workers.
Last weekend saw rebels enter Njdamena and surround the presidential palace before retreating, leaving at least 160 people dead.
"We are already operating in an environment where security is spiralling downwards, where the supply line from NDjamena is cut after recent fighting, and where our field offices are running short of fuel," Mr Huck said in a statement. Read more >>>>>>>>>>
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