Liberia
Humanitarian crisis after new fighting in Liberia

afrol News, 8 December - The recent upsurge of fighting in the northwestern Liberian county of Gbarpolu, near the Northern Lofa County has resulted in new displacements of civilians towards the provincial headquarters of Bopolu, according to local humanitarian workers. 

An emergency report by the World Food Programme (WFP) released yesterday shows the intensified fighting in the northwestern areas of the country produces displacements and need for food aid. Humanitarian agencies including WFP have temporarily suspended their activities in Gbarpolu County pending improved security conditions. 

- 3,000 displaced persons had been registered in the Bopolu Camp, prior these incidents, WFP reports. "WFP is closely coordinating with its partner NGOs to monitor the evolution of the situation and identify possible new internally displaced persons as soon as the area is accessible."

WFP reports it has distributed 117 tons of food to 13,600 Sierra Leonean refugees in Liberia on 22-29 November. WFP also assisted over 3,600 internally displaced persons in the Cari Camp (Bong County), providing them with 40 tons of food. 

- However, insecurity hampered food distributions in North-Western Liberia, preventing WFP to reach approximately 8,000 internally displaced persons in Jenemana Camp (Grand Cape Mount County), the UN agency reports. Still, WFP was able to assist 2,000 internally displaced persons in Bopolu (Gbarpolu County) who received 34 tons of food on 22-23 November.

WFP is currently distributing 27 tons of food to over 8,700 pupils in Bong and Maryland counties. "It was observed that most schools had higher enrolment than last academic year," the agency states. 

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Kenzo Oshima on Wednesday condemned the attacks in Gbarpolu County and expressed alarm at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Liberia, a UN spokesman in New York said.

According to the spokesman, the displacement of 1,413 people by these attacks has nearly doubled the population of the Bopulu camp for internally displaced persons, straining its already inadequate resources and creating serious security and health risks for all those seeking refuge there.

Sources: Based on UN and WFP