More 28,000 Malians seek refuge in Mauritania
Paris, 02 Mar – (ANA) - About 28,000 Malian refugees have been forced to seek abode in the border region of Mauritania following the conflict between the Malian army and Tuareg rebels that broke out in northern Mali last month. Some refugees travelled days without sustenance to get to makeshift camps in Fassala and Mbéré in the south east of Mauritania, reports said.An initial shipment of 26 tonnes of medical and logistical supplies have flown from Belgium to Néma, 200 kilometres from Mbéré camp. Health and refugee support group, Medicin Sans Frontiers (MSF) teams are starting medical activities. “We are in the middle of the desert in an area where water is a scarce commodity. Even more alarming, these people are isolated here: the nearest hospital is 6 hours away by road,” says Marie-Christine Férir, MSF’s Emergency Coordinator. (ANA)
FA/ANA/02 March 2012-----------