UN says over 200,000 displaced from South Waziristan

Oct 27, 2009, 11:44 GMT

Geneva - At least 205,000 people have been displaced from South Waziristan owing to fighting between government forces and Taliban militants, the latest United Nations figures showed Tuesday.

Some 50,000 to 80,000 people are estimated to remain in the area most affected by fighting, said Manual Bessler, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Pakistan.

Bessler said humanitarian aid agencies still faces access problems, and were unable to reach people in the areas seeing combat as well as some of the displaced people.

Pakistan also has hundreds of thousands over other displaced who fled their homes in previous offensive against militants in other areas of the country.

Security concerns in the 'highly volatile' area left aid players little room to manoeuvre, OCHA said.

Last week, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it lacked access to people in need and was also unable to visit many detainees. The ICRC said civilians were facing heightened dangers.

The UN still expected more people to be displaced by the ongoing fighting.