More than 200 people have fled their homes in the northwest of Colombia amid clashes between guerrilla group FARC and neo-paramilitary group Urabeños, said a local NGO on Wednesday.
The refugees had to flee from the rural area of Zaragoza in a two-hour boat journey to the main town of the municipality.
Sixteen of the refugees given shelter in a public school while others found shelter with friends or family.
National and local authorities are trying to determine the security situation in the area around Zaragoza in order to attempt to take the necessary measures to protect the community.
This is the second massive displacement in this region in less than a month; Three weeks ago a group of more than 600 was forcefully displaced after FARC attacks about 20 miles from Zaragoza.
Displacement is one of the most serious of humanitarian crises caused by Colombia’s armed conflict. According to the most conservative estimation, at least 3.5 million Colombians have been forced to flee their homes over the violence.
Zaragoza, Antioquia
Sources
- Combates de grupos armados dejan al menos 200 desplazados en Antioquia (El Tiempo)
- Flash Update No. 1 – Desplazamiento masivo en Zaragoza (Antioquia) (Press release by Sala Humanitaria)
