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Bangladesh + 11 more

Protection in Danger Monthly News Brief - February 2018

Attachments

Security Incidents and Access Constraints

Africa

Ethiopia

11 February 2018: In Harar city, East Hararghe zone, Harari region, a clash between security forces and youth in Hamaressa camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) led to the death of four individuals, and some injuries. Source: The Reporter

Rwanda

21 February 2018: In Karongi, Western province, between 3,000-4,000 Congolese refugees in Kiziba camp staged a protest in front of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office to demand better living conditions at the camp. The army fired their weapons into the crowd to break up the protest, wounding at least two people. Source: VOA

22 February 2018: In Karongi town, Western province, Rwandan police broke up a crowd of around 3,000 Congolese refugees in Kiziba camp, killing 11 people, and injuring 20 more. The refugees had been protesting at the offices of the World Food Programme (WFP) against a cut in food rations. Sources: Daily Nation, Deutsche Welle (DW) (a),
DW (b), Reuters and VOA

Somalia

12 February 2018: In al-Shabaab-controlled areas across Somalia, alShabaab continue to extort thousands of dollars per day through road blocks and taxes on merchants attempting to transport food and supplies – goods which IDPs would then purchase with cash cards issued to them by the UN. Source: CNN

Sudan, The

17 February 2018: In North Darfur state, militiamen attacked three boys who were collecting firewood near Sortony IDP camp, killing one of them. This event prompted a large number of IDPs to stage a demonstration at the Sortony base of the UN-African Union peacekeeping mission to call for protection. Source: Dabanga Sudan

Asia

Bangladesh

25 February 2018: In Sadar upazila, Sylhet district and division, large numbers of people from the Char region held a mass rally over the jailing of a Char activist who had been protesting two ongoing police cases filed against 250 people in Char for allegedly assaulting police and obstructing them in performing government duty. Source: The Daily Star

Europe

France

01 February 2018: In Calais, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, an Afghan man allegedly fired shots at a queue for food handouts in the Calais migrant camp, critically injuring four Eritreans. Violence subsequently broke out between a group of around 100 Afghans and 30 Eritreans. The cause is not yet clear. Source: BBC

Middle-East and North Africa

Lebanon

28 February 2018: In Ail Al-Hilweh refugee camp, near Sidon city, South governorate, a number of unidentified men tossed a hand grenade in Ras Al-Ahmar near the residence of Islamist extremist Bilal Abou Arkoub, prompting those targeted to shoot back. Source: National News Agency

Libya

04 February 2018: In Garart Al-Gatef, between Bani Walid and Tawergha, gunmen driving armed vehicles stormed into a makeshift camp for Tawergha IDPs, fired gunshots in the air, and stole an ambulance of Bani Walid Hospital on their way out. They also burned down tents, leaving IDPs in panic, with some fleeing the area. Source: Libya Observer

Egypt

07 February 2018: Egyptian authorities opened the Rafah border crossing with Palestine’s Gaza Strip in both directions for three days for humanitarian purposes and to allow stranded Palestinians to return to the Strip.
The crossing was opened again for four days on 21 February. Source: Ahram Online

Syria

06 February 2018: At al Bayan IDPs Camp, in Atama camp area on the Syrian-Turkish borders, Idlib governorate, Self-Management forces (consisting primarily of the Democratic Union Party – a branch for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party) fired three artillery shells, resulting in casualties and heavily damaging several tents. Source: SNHR II