The UN agency UNHCR said on Friday that militants linked to al Qaeda have reached semi-arid regions on the edge of Sahara causing conflict in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali forcing thousands of people to flee from their homes for safety.
In Sahel, there are more than 850 000 refugees who have fled from home mainly from Mali. More than half of the refugees are forced to sleep outside, have no food and any access to water. UNHCR spokesperson Boris Cheshirkov has urged international communities to double its support for the regions.
“The humanitarian response is dangerously stretched, the communities hosting the displaced have reached a breaking point” Boris added.