The Gado Refugee camp in Cameroon has become home to many escaping the increasing violence in the Central African Republic. According to the UN refugee agency, the number of people fleeing the violence has doubled to nearly 60,000 in just one week. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has blamed this sharp increase in refugees on the last presidential election votes and has called for an immediate end to all violence in the Central African Republic.
About 60,000 people have fled to neighboring countries over the last few weeks since six powerful rebel groups launched an offensive a few months ago to try and prevent the re-election of President Faustin-Archange Touadera. At least one Rwandan peacekeeper has been killed and another two were injured during an attack against the UN soldiers in Grimari, a city located 200km from the capital, the United Nations Mission in the country said in a statement.
“So far we have registered nearly 3,000 people who are seeking refuge in Cameroon from the Central African Republic. These people, most of them, are women under the age of 50, they have come with children,” said Helen Ngoh Ada, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Cameroon.
United Nations has however assured the public of their commitment to work closely with national, regional, and international partners, to support the people and Government of the Central African Republic in their efforts to advance peace and ensure a peaceful democratic process