Reference : V-P-CF-E-00769
Date : 05/09/2013
Country/Region : CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Caption : Bangui. Seleka fighters patrol the streets
Photographer : HEGER, Boris
Keyword : ARMED FORCES; WEAPON; CONVOY
Confidentiality level : public
Publication restrictions : publication without restrictions
Copyright : ICRC
Description : 25-09-2013 Operational Update

People in and around Bossangoa (population 70,000) and Bouca (20,000), in Ouham prefecture north-west of the capital Bangui, have been hard hit by continuing armed clashes. The Central African Red Cross Society and the ICRC are working together to bring them aid.
."Thousands of people have seen their villages set ablaze and had to flee into the bush or to safer places such as school buildings or places of worship," said Christian Mehl, an ICRC delegate.

Central African Red Cross volunteers and ICRC personnel are removing casualties and administering first aid. On 12 September, 13 seriously injured people who could not be treated on the spot were transferred by aircraft to the referral hospital in Bangui, where the ICRC provided them with care.

More than 50 bodies had to be buried after they were identified, or after steps were taken to make them identifiable later. Enough medical supplies to treat 50 patients were provided for the prefecture hospital in Bossangoa, which is run by another humanitarian organization.

Helping displaced people cope with the emergency
In Bouca, where the Red Cross is one of the few humanitarian organizations still on the ground, 4,000 people who lost everything when their homes were destroyed by fire or looted were given emergency food aid and kitchen utensils, mattresses, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, blankets and other items on 22 and 23 September.

In addition, since the month of June:

more than 9,000 people who had to flee violence committed by armed men in the Nana-Gribizi and Ouham areas have been given food aid;
over 1,700 people who lost everything when their villages between Bouca and Batangafo and in Dékoa were set on fire have been given help enabling them to build temporary shelters;
almost 3,000 people harmed by violence in the Ndélé area, in the north of the country, have been given food, seed and farming tools.
Original material : digital
Resolution : 5304x3536
Orientation : landscape
Colour/B&W : colour

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