Ivory Coast in grip of refugee crisis, says UN

Ivory Coast is threatened with a humanitarian disaster caused by the rebel uprising, a United Nations agency said yesterday.

About 150,000 people have been displaced by fighting in the central city of Bouaké, where the government launched an offensive this week against the rebels who have seized half the country.

Thousands of immigrants are on the run from ethnic clashes unleashed by the fighting. Most come from impoverished countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali, which are likely to struggle with any massive influx of people.

Ramin Rafirasme, a spokesman for the World Food Programme, said: "All the ingredients are present for a large-scale humanitarian crisis, which threatens to destabilise the entire sub-region."

Taking advantage of a lull in fighting, a tide of people balancing bundles of clothes and cooking pots on their heads streamed from Bouaké, seeking safety in nearby villages, or south in Abidjan.

Residents spoke of heavy explosions, food shortages and gangs of tribal militants who burnt to death some people.

The attacks appeared to be in retaliation for killings earlier by government supporters. The number of people burnt to death appeared small, but the brutality horrified residents shaken by three days of shooting and explosions.

"The mutineers, who never used to bother us, are now searching for loyalists," said one resident. "We are afraid of a civil war."

Bouaké appeared calm yesterday and French military officials said rebels controlled the city. But clashes were reported in the south-west, in the area of Daloa. France has about 1,000 troops in Ivory Coast, its former colony.