Armed groups taking toll on civilian life in Colombia: UN

Armed groups taking toll on civilian life in Colombia: UN United Nations, July 25 (IANS) Humanitarians said they are concerned about armed groups in Colombia displacing or restricting the movement of civilians. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said its partners and official reports say more than 120,000 people were displaced or had their movements restricted in the first half of the year, Xinhua news agency reported. "We are also worried about the potential for an increase in armed violence in Colombia's border regions, which would only increase humanitarian needs," the office said. The humanitarians said 8.3 million people out of 52 million in Colombia need humanitarian assistance. Conflicts between the government and armed groups, and among the armed groups, are to blame. "Colombia also continues to cope with the effects of climate shocks," OCHA said. "Already this year, more than 1.2 million people in the country have been affected by the El Nino phenomenon, which has fueled wildfires and led to water shortages in almost all regions of the country." The office added the climate shocks particularly impacted the Indigenous, Afro-Colombian, and agricultural communities. Humanitarians in Colombia continue to support response efforts, with nearly 500,000 people receiving at least some assistance this year. --IANS int/rs/svn