The UN warns that armed group assaults in Burkina Faso are causing thousands of people to seek safety in Niger, which is already experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis.
The UN Refugee Agency reported on Tuesday that the intensification of violence in eastern Burkina Faso has resulted in a major surge of people to Niger.
The confrontations have resulted in a “wave” of displaced individuals moving to the Nigerien town of Téra in the Tillabéri area.
The UNHCR said that the security situation in Tillabéri is highly dangerous, with attacks by non-state armed groups. If asylum applicants are denied refugee status, they face deportation, according to the agency.
This huge exodus happens against the backdrop of Burkina Faso’s long-standing insecurity, with more than a third of the nation out of government control since the military took power in 2022.
Years of instability in the Sahel area have been caused by the activities of jihadist rebel organizations, who have been acting lawlessly in northern Mali to northern Burkina Faso and Western Niger.
Tillabéri now houses around 223,400 internally displaced Nigeriens and 36,500 Burkinabe asylum seekers.
Armed groups attacked the communes of Mansila, Kantcari, and Sempelga, forcing more than 3,000 Burkinabé to escape to Téra, from the end of May to June.
The organization emphasized that the security situation on Niger’s border with Burkina Faso is particularly dangerous, limiting humanitarian access and protection activities. UNHCR collaborates with local authorities to register displaced families and give monetary support for their urgent needs.